


Year 2017

by MyBeautifulHusband



Series: Year 2017 [1]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Blood and Injury, Character Death, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2018-01-10
Packaged: 2018-11-23 00:26:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 30,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11391552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyBeautifulHusband/pseuds/MyBeautifulHusband
Summary: What could have happened after Rebecca left the village in May 2017. If the boys would learn how to be happy and talk, would it be boring? In this, Robert and Aaron talk a lot, among other things. This isn't Rebecca free area after first two chapters, but always, always, in every chapter there is love and connection between Aaron and Robert. After Chapter 8 this becomes a story where they learn to be parents without Rebecca.Please notice: I edited the whole thing, but there is no new chapter! Only new thing in this in January 2018 is my comment at the end of the last chapter! Take a look on it and comment!





	1. Summer

Summer

This summer was different than ever before. With Chas and Liv being away helping Sandra, Aaron had the possibility to be an adult, standing on his own two feet, without having to care for anyone other than himself. 

Village seemed to be almost empty at the summer, his mum and sister being gone. Also Adam and Vic were in Australia with Diane, those two were trying to make their marriage work. Rebecca was still out of sight and Aaron was happy to keep it that way. Out of sight out of mind, you could say.

It was almost like they had all of the village for themselves. And they really had made it work for them; this summer was hot in every sense of the word. After Robert came clean about the one night stand with Rebecca, Aaron would have never guessed that summer was going to be like the way it turned out to be. In May he thought that he wouldn´t ever be happy, although he wanted it so much.

He had decided to forgive Robert and at first it seemed like something he could do, but this was before they heard Rebecca was still pregnant. After that revelation Aaron did believe that they weren’t going to survive. At the time Robert was walking around Mill like a beaten up dog, didn’t sleep, didn’t eat, just waited when Aaron was going to chuck him out. And Aaron thought about it, he really did, but he couldn’t, he just couldn’t. Aaron loved Robert with all of his heart and soul. They were rubbish without each other, they just had to make it work. 

Aaron had his counsellor helping him, but surprisingly also Robert sought help for his trust issues. Maybe he got to the root of the reason why he acted out hurting other people and hurting himself in the process. 

Aaron decided to forgive, he didn’t forget, but he did forgive. And from that great decision came best summer of his life. Love was always there, but with being just the two of them for the whole summer, came the closeness, tender love, touching, kissing and eventually sex. Robert didn’t make the first move, Aaron did.

They had had their STD-tests back as negative. Those had to be done: Rebecca had been with Ross and Ross had been with half of the village. After the test results, they both knew they could, but Aaron wasn’t ready and Robert wasn’t going to rush him, he waited.

Then it happened, Aaron made it happen. It was a blazing hot day. They had gone for a run at the morning: Robert still ran with Aaron, he wasn’t going to let him run himself to the ground. Only problem being that when Aarons condition went up, his didn’t. So, Robert run behind him, gasping for air and he had to stop and admit to Aaron that he couldn’t run anymore. 'Oi, Mo Farah, I can’t do this anymore. I’m dying here, wanna help?' he shouted when he flung himself to the ground. “Getting old, are we?” said Aaron looking down to his man, who was laying at the ground and lifting his hands to Aaron, looking drained. 

Aaron laughed out loud and it felt so good for Robert. He loved to hear Aaron laugh, especially as it happened so rarely. Aaron helped Robert up and kissed him softly, stroking his arms. Oh, how much had Robert missed this, he just didn’t want it to stop. But Aaron had to call all the shots for the time being, it’s just the way things were. To Roberts surprise Aaron seemed to be relaxed and deepened the kiss for a while, until he took a step back and looked at Roberts blueish green eyes. “I love you, you old git” he said, took Roberts hand to his own and started walking. Robert was almost overwhelmed of everything that was happening today. Aaron was doing everything he normally didn’t do: Kissing in public, telling him he loved him and held his hand. The sensation of their skin touching, those little sparkles between them, it meant everything to him. Roberts whole world was in that touch.

They walked back to the Mill through the village and saw no-one, village was sleeping in the sun. Grass was getting yellowish and flowers were hanging their buds, even the birds couldn’t be bothered to sing. Not-surprisingly Robert started fussing about his garden when they came back to the Mill. Apparently the garden needed watering and Robert liked to leave all the manual work to Aaron. Aaron scowled at him thinking, does someone care about the garden for real, but eventually said: 'I’ll water the lawn, but only if you make me bacon sarnies. And I don’t do flowers' Aaron added. 'Your wish is my command' said Robert smirking very pleased with himself.

Under the high noon sun Aaron thought about getting his top off for a while, he was sure that Robert knew every inch of his body and every scar and that he loved all of him, the same way Aaron loved Robert and his scar from the shooting. That’s why he decided and took his top off: what the hell, this is my own property and I want to get some sun! Taming the water hose was a bit tricky and Aaron ended up splattering the water all over his upper body, his torso glimmering under water drops and sun.

Robert glanced up and gasped. He had almost forgotten what Aaron looked like under his t-shirts, now it all came back with a wave of memories. That part of his neck he loved to kiss, that part of muscle just under his right shoulder blade that used to shiver when he was under Roberts body. Only coherent thought he had was: I can’t handle this much longer, I need to feel Aaron, I need to taste him. 

Robert brought the sarnies and beer to their patio and continued watching his husband, who was finishing up. Robert liked what he was seeing, couldn’t hide it, didn’t want to hide it. Aaron recognized that twinkle in his husbands eye 'Liking what you see' he asked. 'Definitely' answered Robert smirking again. 'Let’s eat' Aaron barked a little grumpily, he didn’t exactly know why, since smirking was something Aaron had missed from Robert, it was a clear sing he was slowly getting back to normal.

They took their time eating, drinking, enjoying the sun and each others company. Eventually Robert got up and started picking up the dishes. At that moment Aaron, who was still sitting, knew his time had come, he took Roberts hand and pulled him between his legs. Aaron had his serious face on when he looked deep into Roberts eyes and said: 'I need you, I love you, I need to make you mine again, I need to make love to you.' 'I have always been yours, but there’s nothing I would like more, nothing' Robert said and bleaned down for a kiss.

The kiss got heated straight away, their lips brushing against each other, something so familiar but also so anticipated. After a while Robert had to straighten his back and Aaron started kissing his stomach, lingering around his belly bottom, enjoying those delicate hairs that led to his jogging bottoms. Robert was ready, ready for everything Aaron was willing to give him. Robert enjoyed feeling Aaron's stubble on his stomach. He was hard and couldn’t hold back gasps when Aaron took his cock in his hand and started slowly licking its sensitive head, taking his time to take it deeper in to his mouth. He knew that these days Robert loved this, letting all the control to Aaron. He relaxed his throat, paced his breathing to the strokes and took it all in, that wasn’t easy, but Aaron knew what he was doing. From Roberts point of view Aaron was the best, no one came close, he had told that to Aaron several times and that’s why Aaron loved giving blowjobs to his husband. It didn’t take long for Robert to come.

rprised sigh. 'Aaron, I wasn't expecting that to happen. Couldn't control it, it's been a while and you're so good at this.' 

'It's all good, I need this for what I have planned for you' grinned Aaron gesturing to the cum all over his chest. 

'Oh you do, do you?' Robert said while kneeling between Aaron's thighs and kissing him with all the love he had for his husband.

After a heated while they both were naked on the patio, interwined together. Eyes dark with lust Aaron told Robert to get on to his back. Robert willingly obeyed.

Robert had always craved for novelty, but before, novelty meant new people to have sex with, so that he would learn what makes them tick, so that he could use that knowledge to make them need, want and like him. He was the one giving and taking, but never letting anyone too close. Manipulating was his thing and he got off on it. It all changed with Aaron. Not at first, at the affair era he did his best to learn everything he could about Aaron and he had loved every minute of learning to touch Aaron. However, things changed when they got back together. There was this man, Aaron, who wanted to be with him, even though he knew all the bad things he had done. That had never happened to Robert before. Robert still loved getting Aaron under his spell, to a situation where he couldn't do anything else than enjoy the sensations Robert gave him, yet with Aaron, who he trusted, Robert started to wonder what would he himself like and could he let himself go, let someone else to be in charge of making him feel so good he couldn’t think of anything else than that moment? It turned out, with Aaron he could do anything, even let himself lose all control, let himself be vulnerable.

Aaron knew what he was going to do, something Robert had done only with him, that's why he needed to do this now. He kissed Roberts neck and freckled shoulders, stroking his cock and balls, making way to his hole, Robert was trembling under his husbands touch, the touch he had waited all of his life. Aaron gathered Roberts cum from his chest and used it on his fingers, so that Robert could enjoy every move he would make. With gentle moves he thrust just his middle finger inside Robert. He started to massage Roberts prostate slowly rotating his finger clockwise against the sensitive organ. Aaron knew Robert loved this.

Time stood still as Robert concentrated on Aaron's movements inside him and Aaron concentrated on Roberts pleasure. Watching Robert enjoy made Aaron hard, his cock was throbbing with the rhythm of his heart. He was kissing Robert and he could only hear his heavy breathing. Aaron was ready, but waited until Robert pleaded 'Aaron, I need you'.

From those magic words Aaron let himself go, he thrust the tip of his cock inside Robert and waited until Robert started slowly moving. Both men were silent as Aaron sped up the pace. The air was thick with love, lust and sun, bodies were covered in sweat. Their eyes were locked together when Aaron felt that familiar tickling behind his cock which told him that he was going to come. Aaron wanted Robert to come first and he fisted Roberts cock a few times. Robert came crying out 'Aaron' just when Aaron came deep inside him, losing all control of his muscles, overwhelmed of his husbands sincerity.

Afterwards they lounged together naked in the sun in comfortable silence, both men full of love, when Robert asked 'When can I take care of you, show you how much I love you. I want to make you feel the same way you made me feel today'. 'You already have, just now, letting me be the one to make you enjoy. Besides, you have the rest of your life to love me” answered Aaron while leaning to a kiss.

From there on, Robert felt again that he can be himself around Aaron, he thought about sex with Aaron first thing at the morning and for the last thing at the evening, life was back to normal. Slight difference being that since almost whole village was empty, Aaron allowed them to be like teenagers. When the summer started to turn to autumn there were hardly anywhere in the village where they hadn't had sex. So yes, you could say summer had been long, hot and satisfying.


	2. In September

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little something that was meant to be on the first chapter but then I decided to give names to the chapters and this didn't fit in Summer. Just couple of sentences here.

In September Aaron sat at kitchen table eating cereal for breakfast. He wouldn’t ever admit that he was daydreaming, but he was. He was happy and content, more than he ever had thought he would be capable of. 

Robert came down all dressed for meetings. "Good morning Mr Sugden" Robert said while pulling his husband to his feet for a kiss. 

He pressed his whole body to Aaron "You really are up this morning, arent you" Robert grinned as he felt something hot and hard against his tigh. Aaron blushed a little and replyed "Don’t try to tell me that you can look at that patio without getting a hard-on?” "I can't be near you without a hard-on" Robert told honestly. "So, are we going to do something to that bulge in your jeans?" "We can, after you answer your phone, that Taylor Swift song as your ringtone is really doing my head in" Aaron pointed out.

Robert turned his back to Aaron and answered. After a while of listening he sighed, nodded and said "We’ll be there". He turned slowly to Aaron. 

"Robert, what have you done now?" was the only question Aaron had after seeing Roberts face.


	3. Messed Up?

Robert raised his hands up defensively and said 

‘Look Aaron, I don’t want to tell you this, but I will, because we are doing this talking stuff thing these days: It was Hotten General, they told me that there is a prematurely born baby in there and Rebecca White has wished for them to call me and ask if I could come to the hospital as I am the baby's father.’

It felt like the earth had swallowed Aaron, he had to take few steps back and lean to the kitchen table. No, this couldn’t be happening, not yet anyway. He knew it was going to happen sometime, but not yet! No, no, no! He wanted to have Robert for himself just for a little while longer. He was about to loose it. but looking at Robert he saw an unnerved man who needed him. Aaron decided to try to get a grip, because Robert needed him now. It was his turn to be strong for Robert

‘What? How is that possible, the baby is not due for months and Rebecca shouldn’t even be in the country?’ asked Aaron, voice shaking, clenching his fist. 

‘Don’t know, I know as much as you. Yours or mine?’ Robert asked. 

‘Let’s take the Porsche’ said Aaron, throwing keys to Robert, Robert should be the one shaken but still, Aaron was in no state to drive.

Drive to Hotten was excruciatingly long, both men sat silently deep in their thoughts. As Hotten General got inevitably closer, Aaron asked 

‘How are you feeling Robert?’ Robert kept driving, kept his eyes on the road and stayed silent. ‘Please Robert talk to me!’ 

After a while Robert said ‘To be honest I don’t know what I’m feeling. What should I feel? I just want to go home and forget this whole thing. But I can’t ‘cos apparently I have a child out there. Someone who is my flesh and blood. Child that is going to mess our heads up and a child that I don’t want to have!’

‘Well maybe you should have thought about that before you stuck your dick up some cow, unprotected! Serial cheater like you should know better!’ Aaron yelled to Robert. Robert yelled back 'That’s what a bottle of whisky does to you! I really wonder how I could get it up in that condition! Bex assured that it was safe. I just didn’t think!’ 

‘That’s for sure, make a note for future use: never trust a woman who has tried to get in to your pants before, repeatedly!' Aaron replied dryly.

At once Aaron regretted everything he blurted out ‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said those things’ Tears were forming in his eyes. ‘I know you won’t do that again. This can’t be easy for you and I’m here for you. But it’s hard for me too, I’m also shaken up.’ 

Robert glanced Aaron with sorrow in his eyes and said ‘I know and I’m sorry, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t do this to you. Maybe you’re better off without me. This really is my fault, I shouldn’t be dragging you into this. It’s my problem’ Robert said emphasizing every word he spoke. 

‘No, don’t be daft, we’re in this together. Remember messed up forever? This is the messed up part’ Aaron reassured, wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and put his other hand on Roberts thigh and gave him a little smile. ‘After all it’s not just a problem we’re talking about, it’s your child and we’ll get through this together’ he said when Robert parked the car in the hospital parking lot.

Smell of disinfectants sting their noses when they walked in from the sliding doors. This was all too familiar a smell for the both of them. They could happily live without hospitals rest of their lives. From the info board they found out that the way to neonatal intensive care unit was marked with light yellow line. The steps they took together along the yellow line were in no way light. It felt like the way to the last meal, no-one should have to feel like that on their way to see their child, but they did. After all, it wasn’t their child they were visiting. 

When they arrived to the ward, Robert went to the desk asking for help. They were seated and the nurse asked them to wait. Eventually a doctor came, introduced herself as doctor Earwood and wanted to speak to Robert Sugden. ‘I cut to the chase: The baby is in a bad way, with premies this little, it can’t be predicted which way things are going to turn, only time will tell.' She paused and then suggested ‘Let’s go to the intensive care room and I will go through all the information properly.’ The men stood up together, ready to follow the doctor, when she turned and said coldly to Aaron ‘This is for the parents only, Rebecca is waiting in there already. This will take an hour or two. Feel free to go somewhere to wait’. Aaron saw panic in Roberts eyes for going through this alone and he put his hands to his shoulders, looked into his eyes and told him ‘You’ll be fine, I’ll be fine, we’ll be fine. I’ll wait. Text me when you’re out.’

And off he went, Aaron watched his receding back and sighed. Robert went in to a room across the corridor and Aaron curiously peeked inside and saw a blond haired woman sitting on a wheelchair in the room, doctor Earwood and a nurse. When Robert leaned forward Aaron saw the incubator, the baby's incubator. He shouldn’t have looked. Now he couldn’t just stand there watching, he had to get out of there.

He walked, almost run, tears in his eyes for the second time today, towards those sliding doors which brought him here, didn't reach those, ending up to a restroom area. As he stepped in to the toilet he was hyperventilating, panic attack was on it’s way. Aaron glared his own eyes through the mirror, trying to steady his breathing. How pathetic was he, being afraid of a baby, a baby who was so ill it could die! He was afraid, afraid of Robert going to his new family, being left again, left all on his own like so many times before.

There was only one thing he knew would help this feeling, one thing that would remove that doubt from his own eyes. He lifted his fist up to his chin, took a long look in his eyes and smashed the mirror with his fist. Fragments of the mirror shattered everywhere and as blood came running from his knuckles along with the pain and Aaron felt better, in control again.


	4. The Journey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robert was fuming ones he got out of the ICU-room. Fuming wasn’t really his thing, he preferred using his viper sharp tongue when things got difficult, but somehow he had the feeling that he doesn’t want to get banned from that room, so he decided to just fume.
> 
> What happened to the boys in the hospital?

Robert was fuming ones he got out of the ICU-room. Fuming wasn’t really his thing, he preferred using his viper sharp tongue when things got difficult, but somehow he had the feeling that he doesn’t want to get banned from that room, so he decided to just fume. Striding out of the ward he texted Aaron ‘Out, meet me at the Porche.’ 

When Robert stepped to the midday sun he saw Aaron leaning to the Porche, hands in his hoodies pockets, scowling to the innocent bypassers. ‘God he looks good’, Robert noted absent-mindedly, feeling the rage settling down a bit after seeing his husband. 

Aaron lifted his gaze, saw Roberts eyes on him and smiled. He could see that Robert was about to burst into flames of rage and he wasn’t surprised when his husband got into car without saying anything, just nodding for him to follow. Aaron did follow and he waited for Robert to start talking. After a bit of road rage and shouting to the other drivers, they got to the Hotten bypass motorway and he started talking, yelling to be precise.

‘That mindless dolly and her she-devil of a sister had decided that they aren’t going to tell me when she was laying head down in a hospital bed for weeks! She didn’t need me then, but now she decided that she needs me after all and decided to contact me! A little heads up would have been nice, but of course she didn’t give that to me! Fucking hell!’

‘So wanna tell me everything from the start?’ asked Aaron composedly

‘In a bit, I just have to unwind a little. And why the hell are you so tranquil and serene, since when has mr Cool been your middle name?!’ Robert asked suddenly looking intrested at his husband.

‘Yeah well, there’s a story behind that, but let’s go to it after you’ve told me what happened’ said Aaron evasively. ‘Start from the beginning, you walked into the baby's room and…?’

‘There was Rebecca and the baby, baby was in a respirator and all kinds of lines were coming in and out from the incubator. I bet it looked much like you and me when we were at hospital and in coma, the baby isn’t in coma though, just too small for this world. Doctor Eat wood told us of all kinds of diagnosis premie-babies might get: like RDS and PBD which are problems in the lungs, PBD is problems with the eyes. There is a possibility for all kinds of setbacks, like something called NEC which is a bowl inflammation which can kill, at least it needs surgery and there is a possibility for cerebral hemorrhage etc. So fun and games all around for following months.’

‘Robert, I’m so sorry to hear that! What did the baby look like?’

‘Couldn’t see much, she is so tiny, I guess she looked like a pair of chicken legs’

‘It’s a girl then?’

‘Yes she is” Robert said trying to hide little smile that tried to brake to his face.

‘She is growing to you isn’t she? You don’t have to hide it from me’ Aaron assured Robert

‘Maybe she is, she doesn’t annoy me as much as almost everyone else and she is so tiny, she’s smaller than my hand, never seen anyone so tiny. She weighs well under two lb’s’

‘So tiny?! Is she going to make it?

‘Dunno, only time will tell’ Robert noted quietly

‘So why was she born this early?’

‘Apparently Bex had some trouble with her cervix and had to be in bedrest, in order to keep the baby in, but eventually that just stopped working and she came out this morning at 5.15. AM’

‘And she didn’t tell you there was troubles in the pregnancy?! She's really is a cow.’ Aaron said voice trembling out of disgust. ‘Did you behave there or did you get thrown out?’

‘It was hard, really can’t stand that woman anymore, hard to believe she was my friend once. All the doctors and nurses acted like I was the devil... no, they acted like I was the devils advocate and you were the devil. Don’t know what kind of a sob story she has told them, probably something like she was pregnant and dumped because of you. She’s lying to her teeth, again.’

‘Yeah well, she tried to act like she was my friend also, so you can expect anything from her… So what happens now?’

‘We had an agreement that we won’t be there together: She will be there at mornings and days and I will be there at evenings because I work. So, there will be a lot of driving around in the becoming months and I don’t see you as much as now. I want you to meet her, but I can’t take you in there when she is so poorly.’

‘I’m in no hurry, I’m not exactly sure I’m ready to meet her…’ wavered Aaron as he looked from the side window, seeing all the cars they were passing. His mind drifted to an another time they were driving along this road. ‘I love you, you know that’ he blurted, tears again in his eyes.

‘Where did that come from? Robert asked puzzled and now a little worried.’

‘Was just thinking about the other time we were on this road…’ 

‘I don’t think that, I just can’t…’ Robert said voice drifting of to a place in his mind where he didn’t visit, ever. He cleared his throat and said in matter of fact voice `You really weren’t fine when I went to the baby's room. What happened, why are you in so blissful mood?’

‘Maybe you should drive to some lay-by, I have something to show you and I don’t want you to drive off the road when I do.’ Aaron said eyes avoiding Roberts.

Robert, in worried mode, stopped the car to the nearest lay-by. ‘What, spill?!’

Aaron hesitated for a while and Robert got increasingly worried. Aaron gathered all his courage and started to push up his sleeves which were curled around his palms, showing the right hand wrapped in bandage. ‘I had a bit of a relapse’

‘A bit?! What the fuck happened?!’ yelled Robert

‘My knuckles had a run in with a mirror.’ Aaron huffed the words out still not looking at Robert

‘Aaron this isn’t funny!

‘I know! I’ll tell you the whole story, but I’m fine now, almost. I felt a panic attack coming after you went to your family...’

‘You are my family’

‘So is that little girl. Anyway, I didn’t know what to do than smash that mirror. It felt good, I calmed down after that, if I’m honest I got a high from it. Alarmed by the noise, a nurse ran from the cubicles, he asked me if I am OK and what the hell happened here. I told him that I had a little accident. Of course he didn’t believe me, but didn’t start arguing about my story, he just stated that luckily he was working at the A&E, since I clearly needed taking care of, he could do that. As he examined me, he noted that I wouldn’t need stitches, glue would do. Of course he started asking me questions about what happened. And I guess I needed someone to tell this story and I told him that I had an history with self harm and then I told him about this situation that we’re in now. Maybe it was easier to talk to him, since he was just some unknown guy. He listened while he worked on my hand and when he was finishing up, he just stated “Bit of a pickle, innit?” He didn’t try to give me any advice and I appreciated it. When I got up and started to leave, he insisted that I call to my counsellor before I leave. And before you ask, I called her and she gave me an appointment for this evening, someone had cancelled’

‘Aaron, you idiot! What should I say about this?! It makes me sick that I’m the reason that got you to do that. What can I do to make it better?’

‘You can’t do anything, we just have to keep the conversation about our situation open, so that we don’t start to wallow in it. I’m not ok with that baby of yours, but I will try.’ Now Aaron dared to look in to those eyes he loved so much, eyes that saw him, just him.

‘And I won’t ask anything more from you, please tell me if it gets too much.’ Robert crabbed that stupid man he loved to his arms and breathed the familiar scent in to calm himself.

Robert started the car again and re-started their journey to home. 

Back home, rest of the day went by slowly: they worked a little, Aaron went to his appointment and Robert made Tea, almost a day like all the others, even though their lives had just changed forever.

At night curled to bed together Robert called to the hospital ward asking how the little one was doing. Nurse told him that everything was ok, considering the circumstances. They promised to call if a change would happen.

After that call Robert felt relieved and Aaron felt vulnerable, needing some assurance, he breathed to Roberts ear: ‘I know you have told me that you are completely mine, but could you show it to me also?’

‘What do you have in mind then?’ Asked Robert voice hoarce while kissing Aarons neck.

‘Well I don’t know, maybe you could improvise?’ That was all he had time to say before he had all of Robert on top of him, kissing him with passion. So much passion that there weren’t room for anything else than their love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wasnt easy to tune in to writing after this week on screen, but then I read couple of excellent fics here and got into writing again. Hope that my writing isn't killing the great idea I had, if you don't mind me saying so. I got a little tear eyed writing this chapter when I started thinking all the things Robert has gotten through before. Hope some of you enjoyed this! And my apologies if someone got offended by the way Rebecca and Chrissie were spoken of, I borrowed those words from Robert J. Sugden himself.
> 
> All comments are appreciated!


	5. Paddys contribution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron has a word with Paddy

Couple of weeks went by and they got into some kind of routine. Waking up, work, Tea, hospital, home, sex (more so than not sex), sleep and next day, same again. Aaron usually drove Robert to the hospital. They had good long conversations about everything in the car, it was worth the drive, although when Robert went to see the baby Aaron would only waited for him. Aaron wandered around the hospital, sometimes he went to the cafeteria or other times he went to town for coffee or run, he did almost anything just to avoid meeting the White sisters leaving the ward. Aaron hadn’t seen the baby yet, he just couldn’t face it.

Babys condition changed day by day, she had a close call when she got NEC and had to go to surgery. That time Aaron came to the ward to sit with Robert to support his husband. Robert was bricking it and Aaron's heart was breaking to see Robert so worried, Aaron hated the fact he couldn’t do anything to help Robert. When they waited news from the surgery, tension in the relatives room was tangible; Robert and Aaron on the other side of the room and Rebecca and the Whites on the other side. 

In a situation like that, of course words were changed with the Whites: How everything was Roberts fault again, as if he singlehandedly had made that little girls bowls to became inflamed. Robert was quick to throw something back to them, he knew exactly what to say to each of the Whites in order to get under their skin. It was nearing a full-blown war in the relatives room when Aaron stepped up and tried his best to soothe things over, but it was clear: There was no love lost between the Whites and the Sugden-Dingles. 

Despite of her parents hostility towards each other, the little girl in surgery pulled through and kept growing.

\--

On a day in October, Aaron had a long scrap round in the afternoon and they agreed that Robert would go by himself to the hospital and Aaron would stay in the village. Knowing this, Aaron stepped in to the vets clinic at lunchtime bumping into Pearl. Pearl almost fell down from the impact and at the same time realized who had come in and started fussing: 

‘Oh, dear boy, how lovely to see you, it’s been so long! If you sit down I will get you my famous lemo…’

Aaron cut Pearl short saying 

‘Pearl I came just to look if Paddy is in, is he?’

‘Of course he is’ Pearl said removing some magazines from the chairs in the waiting room making way for Aaron to sit. ‘Just wait here a while, he has an African hedgehog with a sneeze in there, it won’t take long. Tea?’

Aaron sat down and took a tea cup from Pearl, he fiddled with his ring as he waited for Paddy. After a while the said man opened the vets door at the same time shaking hands with a mother of a ten year old girl, who presumably was owner of the hedgehog. After Paddy turned back from the door, Aaron barged in and asked ‘Hello Patrik, may I have a word?’

‘Y-you haven’t talked liked that since you were a teenager, something must be up?’ Paddy said laughing and poking Aarons shoulder.

‘Yeah… or you could say somethings out: the baby was born a couple of weeks ago.

‘Mate! Right…’ Paddy said looking as he didn’t know what to say, he probably didn’t.

‘I could use some fatherly advice’ Aaron said looking at his shoes, avoiding Paddy’s eyes. ‘Robert is at the hospital in the evening, so could you come for Tea to the Mill’

Paddy considered it, Aaron knew he was thinking where would Rhona be, would she be safe ‘Yes, I would think so, Rhona is with Marlon and Leo, so yes Aaron, I would be de-lighted to come.’

\--

When the Tea time came Aaron was getting more and more anxious. No matter how old Aaron was Paddys opinion mattered and he knew if there was something they didn’t agree on, it was Robert, but he really needed someone friendly to talk to. Five past five Paddy knocked on the door: twice haltingly and after a while two separate knocks. Aaron opened the door and let Paddy in, feeling a bit awkward, fiddling with his ring.

‘So this is how the place looks like, nice, very posh, very… Robert.’ Paddy said gazing at the interior, which looked very expensive. Robert surely hadn’t skimped with this one.

‘Hey, I have beer on the beer cabinet, toaster and a sofa, I’m happy!’ Aaron said looking pleased. ‘Come to the table, I’ve made pizza, hope that’ll do?’

‘And by making, you mean…’

‘Heating frozen one in the owen’

‘Yes, I thought so. Give me the plate then.’

For a while they ate in silence, Paddy waited, but when it started to look like Aaron wouldn’t ever start speaking he splayed his fingers to the table very Paddy-like and asked, ‘I thought you wanted to talk?’

‘Yeah, it just isn’t easy… Aaron said, again fiddling with his ring. So, the baby girl has born, Robert is clearly starting to bond with her and I haven’t even seen a picture of her. Robert would’ve shown those to me, but I can’t, I just can’t…’

‘What are you afraid of then’

‘I don’t know… Aaron said voice fading away …you shouldn’t hate a little child, right? What if I take one look of her and hate her? Am I only going to see Robert and Rebecca all over each other every time I see her?’ Aaron said with a tremble of disgust, he didn’t know if the disgust was for himself or for the thought of Robert and Rebecca together. He hated himself for these thought’s but he couldn’t help it, that’s the way he felt.

‘Um o….’ Paddy started. ‘How should I say this… Aaron, don’t spend your time thinking about what you should feel and what not, you feel your feelings and no-one can go through those feelings for you. You have to get through those thoughts, that’s the only way to deal whit this. So, you are afraid you are going to see betrayal every time you look at that child. I guess the real question is that have you forgiven Robert? Do you see betrayal every time you look at him?’ Paddy asked.

‘Yeah I really have. I don’t see betrayal with him, I see a man who loves me more than life. When I look to his eyes I only see the love I have for him, mirroring back at me’ Aaron said, kinda embarrassed talking this kind of heavy feelings stuff with Paddy. 

‘So why would you hate that baby, if you don’t hate Robert? It was awful how she got fathered, but it’s not her fault. You know me, right? You know that I don’t have any biological children, still, I feel that I have two children: You and Leo and neither of you came to me easy. Leo is my best mate’s child, for god’s sake! And you, you came with your mother and never left, even though she left. I tried to hate you, you remember how I threw you out? But I didn’t, sometimes you annoyed me, OK, most times you annoyed me, but never I hated you. Not even when I saw Chas in you, in your manners and expressions, I loved you, I still do. We are not results of our parents, you of all people know that.’

‘I, I do believe that you won’t hate this child.’ Paddy said hands on his lap and nodding at the same time. Paddy paused for a while trying to verbalize his thoughts: The thing I’m worried is this love of yours. It’s crazy love, not boring or easy kind of love. You know it and you know I’ve seen the worst of it, but I’ve also seen it at its best. I’ve seen you very happy this summer around the village, smiling more than ever. …By the way, you might want to know, I’ve also seen very physical side of your love a few weeks ago, at Moiras upper field. I really didn’t want to, I drove by as fast as I could, my eyes were sore for days after! You should be a bit more careful…’

Aaron blushed and didn’t dare to look at Paddy’s eyes.

‘So, my concern is: Does a baby fit in that crazy relationship of yours? You two either love or hate, there’s nothing in between.’ Paddy wrapped up his thoughts.

‘Before, Robert was all love and hate in this relationship, more recently the love and hate part came from me. We have worked with it this summer, I guess we are better at it, we talk about our feelings, we are acting like grown-ups these days.’ Aaron smiled at the end of the sentence, he a grown-up in a relationship, talking about his feelings, who would have guessed? He had always thought that he would be dead at this age. 

Paddy still looked concerned ‘Do you trust him?’

‘About as much Robert can be trusted, he always screws something up, but if you are asking do I trust him in this relationship and am I afraid that Robert and Rebecca will gravitate to each other again, the answer is I trust him and honestly I don’t think he would ever go there again, not after this summer.’  
Aaron pondered it for a while and said ‘After all, their hook up had everything to do with us, our relationship, not with Robert wanting Rebecca. He wanted to hurt me and he did. He doesn’t want that anymore.’

‘I guess you have to ask yourself is: if you have forgiven Robert, is there a reason for you to hate that child?’

After Paddy’s question, both men sat in their thoughts for a while, until Paddy finished his lager and got up. He gave a big bearhug to his son, ruffling his hair. Aaron tried to crouch out of it, but deep inside appreciated it. ‘Thanks dad’, he said and found himself inside an another great bearhug.

\--

When Robert drove down to the driveway, he was worried, Aaron had texted him that they needed to talk and it never promised good things. Sitting in the car savoring the first hints of fall and to be honest, delaying the inevitable, he saw that the hole house was dark and wondered what his husband was doing. Stepping in, he found the man in question sitting in front of their electric fireplace, staring to those pseudo-flames.

‘Aaron, what’s up?’

‘Robert, we need to talk.’

‘Huh?’

‘Paddy came for Tea today…’

‘Here we go again, you are dumping me, aren’t you! “Cause I’m the worst possible person for you” according to Paddy.’ Robert almost yelled already agitated of the mere thought of it.

‘Hey, he has his reasons to hate you, you know that’ Aaron pointed out

‘So do you, but you don’t hate me’

‘Yeah, well, it’s different, Paddy doesn’t sleep with you. Speaking of which, he saw us at Moiras upper field the another day…’

‘When?’ Robert said frowning, until it dawned to him ‘Oh, you mean the time when I had you up on the fence and you did that thing with your fingers you do so well…’ he said with a mischievous smile ‘No wonder we didn’t notice him! You know, we haven’t done that in a while, we should do it again!’ Roberts mood shifted as he started using that low seductive voice he used only with Aaron, approaching him, only one thing in his mind.

‘You are shameless! I just told you someone saw us and you want to do it again’ Aaron said giving a little laugh.

‘The damage is already done, no point in wallowing in it. How can you be so bothered now, when you really didn’t care at the time, if I remember correctly?’

‘Yeah, well that’s different ‘cos I sleep with you! Aaron said biting his lower lip. By the way, we’re totally of the subject now. I wanted to talk about your daughter. How is she?’

‘This was a good day, if tomorrow is a good day also, we can start the Kangaroo Mother Care’ Robert answered smirking widely.

‘And what’s that?

‘It means that they give the baby to Rebecca or me, skin-to-skin and then we are wrapped together under something warm for at least an hour. I mean the baby and me, not Rebecca and me.’ Robert added quickly after seeing Aarons expression. ‘It helps the baby to stabilize her breathing and it helps to build a bond between us.’

Aaron listened and watched at Robert, he had never seen this kind of enthusiasm on his handsome but usually suppressed face: he clearly was ready to love his child. Aaron felt a little bit sad, he hoped that he could be in the same headspace with his husband, but life seldom gave the things you wanted, that he knew already. ‘So, you know I haven’t been ready to see the baby yet…’

‘Yes, and it’s totally fine by me, I won’t pressure you into anything you don’t want to do’

‘As it happens, my talk with Paddy… don’t roll your eyes Robert, he’s my dad, kinda… got me into a place where I’m more willing to start to know that little girl.’

‘Didn’t expect that! How did that happen?’ Robert exclaimed jumping from the sofa he had just slouched.

‘Well, Paddy talked about our love. Robert, our love isn’t the normal kind of love, there’s nothing boring about our love. We are very explosive together, you know that as well as I know that. Paddy was concerned that is there room for a little one in our relationship. I would like to hope that we can be adults when the baby is with us. We can be messed up for the rest of the time, can’t we? He also got me thinking, that one could think, if one would like to, that she isn’t the outcome of your one night stand with Rebecca, instead she is the end result of our crazy and messed up love. You didn’t go to Rebecca because of Rebecca, you went to her because of us. So I guess I’m not ready for everything to be all fluff, but I’m willing to take baby steps and try to get to know her. Is that OK?’

‘OK? It’s better than OK, it’s more than I could ever hope for. What have I done to deserve you’ Robert said while taking Aarons face into his hands and giving him a tender kiss.

Aaron looked at his eyes, eyes sparkling ‘I guess you are good in bed?’ That led into a new kiss, much deeper this time. Eventually Aaron broke it off, knowing soon he would be beyond the point of no return. Breathing heavy he asked ‘Do you have a picture of her, maybe I could have a look.’

Robert took his mobile from his jacket pocket and scrolled looking for a good picture. ‘Here she is, here’s little miss Sugden’, he said with a voice of a proud father. Aaron took a look at the picture, he didn’t see Rebecca and he didn’t see Robert, he didn’t see them together: he saw a little baby, baby who was in a poor way. He didn’t feel anger, rage or hate, he felt compassion and a little bit of sorrow for that child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter wasn't planned, but last weeks Robert made me do this. So sorry if this isn't what readers want, hell even I don't want this, but I need this story to be told, the end and the road leading to it, is so clear in my head. Hope someone enjoys this!


	6. The Connection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of hospital and the baby and a bit of sex

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wau, over 50 cudos! I will die happy! 
> 
> So I read the whole take my sins by sugdensquad almost in one take, how brilliant that story is! After that I needed some happiness, so here it is! Hope someone else enjoys it too.

Next day Robert had a call in which nurse from the hospital told him that they could go on with the KMC (Kangaroo Mother Care) this evening. Robert was exited and scared as hell at the same time, what if he would break her? On the drive to the hospital he kept babbling on about nothing and about everything, anything to keep his thoughts away of what might happen soon. 

At the car park Aaron did the only thing he knew would calm him, it always worked. He walked to his husband, pressed their bodies together, kissed him, looked Robert straight in his eyes and said under his breath ‘You know I would suck that nervousness out of you, if we wouldn’t be in the middle of this carpark, don’t you?’. There was a visible shift in Roberts body, Aaron could see how his thoughts moved on to more familiar things and he could focus on walking to the ward. He gave Robert another lingering kiss and send him off to see the baby.

Only after 10 minutes, Robert was ringing him. Before answering Aaron entertained the thought of having to blow him so that he could concentrate. It turned out that wasn’t the case, instead Robert's shirt with those buttons of his weren’t a great match with the KMC and he asked, could he borrow Aaron's hoodie, so that the baby could be tucked in it. Of course he could and soon the two men met at the ward lobby to swap clothes. Since Aaron had only his t-shirt under his hoodie, he decided to take Roberts leather jacket, Robert took his hoodie. Both men had time to appreciate the fact that the other man’s scent came with the clothes. With a short kiss on the cheek the men parted and Robert went back to the baby while Aaron headed to the cafeteria.

In the cafeteria queue, when searching Roberts pockets for some change to pay for his americano, Aaron blushed and got embarrassed; he had found the little bottle of lube Robert always carried with him. Scoffing a little he quickly shoved the bottle back to where it belonged and stepped forward to give money to the waitress and headed to table. He chose the one table in the corner where you could watch other building’s brick wall through the window and ignore rest of the people. 

Aaron was playing with his phone when he heard a man’s voice behind him “Is this taken”, he asked. As Aaron turned, he realized that the voice belonged to the nurse who fixed his hand. “No, it’s free”, Aaron answered with a smile, he remembered that he was easy to talk to and the brick wall had gotten a bit boring after a while. Aaron took a good look at the bloke: maybe thirtysomething, light brown eyes -almost golden and red hair. He looked like he had a little good-natured smile almost permanently on his face.

‘Daniel’ the nurse said offering his hand to Aaron

‘Aaron, as you know already.’ Aaron stood up and shook hands with the man.

‘Didn’t think you were a leather jacket kind of guy’

‘And what’s that supposed to mean’ Aaron almost bit back, but then he saw Daniel’s face, which was just radiating good mood and humor and he decided to act civil, gave a little laugh and answered ‘No, this is Robert.s, BUT I did have a leather jacket when I was younger. It did have a hood, though.’ Aaron grinned giving a little shrug. Daniel laughed. They laughed over coffee for a while and then Daniel’s coffee brake was over. 

‘I’ve gotta get back to surgery, before the head nurse bites my head off’ Darren said looking anything but worried.

‘Didn’t you work at A&E?’ asked Aaron.

‘I’m just a temp and I go around the wards, I go where they need me. By the way, next week I will be at the neonatal ICU.’

‘Then you will meet Robert’

‘Not you?’

‘Nah, I’m not sure I’ll be ready for that yet’

‘I’ll see you when I’ll see you then’ Daniel said smiling as he left.

Aaron was on a good mood after his chat with Daniel and decided to go for a walk. He pulled Robert's jacket’s zip up and crouched against the autumn wind. He got lost in his thoughts, smiling as he walked. They had had a very nice moment over coffee, Aaron didn’t do very nice. He seldom felt easy around people, but it had felt easy. Daniel re-minded him of Adam and made Aaron miss him. 

After half-an-hours walk it started raining, after a hot summer the typical English weather had come back with full force. Aaron headed back to the hospital. He knew he was early and wondered what to do. Without a conscious decision, he headed to the baby’s ward. A while he stood just outside the ward and watched a cleaner cleaning an empty room, entertaining Aaron as he was trying to avoid the thing he was about to do.

He walked to the room where he saw Robert go last time he was here. Looking through the window he saw Robert laying on the couch with something under his hoodie. Roberts eyes were closed and Aaron got a good look of his husband. Although he had seen Robert happy, in fact very happy, he had never seen Robert with this kind of expression in his face, a look of blissful contentment. Aaron had never thought that parenthood could look like that. His experiences of parenthood were limited, being the only child of unhappy teenage parents, and that was only the good times…

He saw Robert opening his eyes when a nurse came in. Immediately Robert spotted Aaron from behind the window and gave him his best smile, the one that showed his beautiful white teeth and made the man on the receiving end to forget that rest of the world even existed. Aaron watched how the nurse took the little bundle from the hoodie and put her in to the incubator. How could something so small be a human being, Aaron found himself thinking again.

After the baby was safely in her incubator, Robert came out and kissed him straight to his mouth. ‘Didn’t expect to see you here’

‘Didn’t know I was going to be here’

‘So… do you want to see her?’ Robert asked hesitating a little

Aaron shrugged ‘Might as well, before I chicken out’

They went in remembering to disinfect their hands. Robert showed Aaron how to touch the baby inside the incubator. Baby was fast asleep, all kinds of beeping around her didn’t seem to bother her. Aaron was afraid that he would make the beeping worse or wake the baby or make her cry. But he didn’t, everything stayed the same. Aaron had a chance to relax and take a good look at the baby, live for the first time. She really was little, she had these teeny tiny hands, which would probably look hilarious on his father’s giant hands. 

Again, he didn’t know what he was feeling. A little pit of panic, a little bit of awe and little bit of that weird feeling that little babies bring with them, that thing which made his mother and Vic start to sigh.

When Robert saw Aarons muscles relax, he took a step back and appreciated the view. HIS man and HIS baby, together. A family of his own, something he really didn’t expect ever to have. It felt so good to have something his own. something he didn’t have to fight for or be afraid of losing. He had to share part of that with Rebecca, but maybe he could live with that. Nothing could ruin this feeling he had, he felt just love, fathers love for the baby and other kind of love for Aaron.

As Aaron leaned closer to the baby, Roberts gaze started to wander, he really appreciated the view. That Italian leather was almost licking down his shoulders all the way down to his jeans, which caressed his buttocks. Robert just couldn’t believe how lucky he was. His mind started to wander and he felt his cock stirring a little in curiosity of what was happening. As he started to feel a little uncomfortable in his trousers Robert suggested to Aaron that they should get going, it was getting late. At that point, the baby opened her eyes, probably woken up by her father’s voice. She looked straight to Aaron's eyes and Aaron couldn’t help but to smile and say to her: ‘So, you are the mini-Sugden who has given me all kinds of grief already, like your father does on a daily bases.’ Baby hold her gaze for a while and then fell back to sleep.

When Aaron stood up feeling a bit dizzy over the encounter, Robert took his hand and determinedly lead him away from the room. Aaron started to wonder about the sudden rush, but then he got a glimpse of Robert’s face and immediately understood what was on his husband’s mind. As soon as they got into the corridor Robert turned to kiss him with almost desperation on his lips. Aaron followed to the kiss, knowing that he wasn’t willing to resist Robert, this mood he was in. He got the lead and pulled Robert to the empty room he previously saw being cleaned.

Looking around the room Aaron saw that it had ensuite and he ushered Robert there. Immediately there Robert pushed Aaron against the door with his hip. Aaron could feel that Robert was already hard, but due to the sudden change to the atmosphere Aaron wasn’t quite there yet, but he knew Robert would work on it. And yes, he did work on it. Robert went straight to Aaron's jeans opening the button with skilled fingers, pushed his fingers inside Aaron's boxers and janked them down releasing Aaron's half-limp cock. without wavering he took all of it to his mouth and smiled mentally when it stiffened after a few determined sucks. As much as he would have liked to continue this for the end of his days, he got up only to find Aaron's open and willing mouth waiting for his lips.

Robert opened his jeans and as soon as he got his cock out he was surprised to feel Aaron's lubed palm round his dick stroking, while Aaron's mouth was kissing Roberts neck. Robert stood straddling Aaron against the door so that their dicks could rub together. Aaron took them both to his lubed hands: one pale, lean and a pit held back and an-other one slightly not as tall, a bit darker, almost aggressive, veins throbbing around its length.

‘Are you finishing us off like this…’ Robert asked panting

‘No way’ Aaron managed to say between kisses ‘I want to feel you in me’

‘All right then’ Robert said starting to turn Aaron over, when he suddenly stopped saying ‘I want to see you when you come… hell, I want to see you when I come!’

‘How are we going to manage this then?’

Robert paused, locked the door they were leaning to and backed down to sit on the toilet seat cover and helped Aaron out of his boots and jeans as Aaron lubed himself. Aaron sat on his husband’s lap facing him, lowering himself on Robert's cock. All Robert could do was to sit back and enjoy the view. And he did. Pair of blue-green eyes locked to a pair of blue eyes, as Aaron rose up and came down again and again, they could see reflection of themselves from each other’s eyes. The whole universe shrinked to this room, room full of squelchs, panting, growls and moans. It was quick, frantic and beautiful, it was everything. 

Only after fifteen minutes from leaving the baby’s room, they were fully dressed and making their way out to the car. They were completely satisfied and a little bit giggly when they stopped leaning to the car kissing. 

Roberts asked between the kisses ‘Where did you get that lube?’ 

‘It’s yours isn’t it, I was wearing your jacket!’ Aaron grinned looking very pleased with himself.

‘Good thing I come prepared!’ smirked the blonde who Aaron loved so much.

‘So, is this the reaction I’m going to get every time I bond with your daughter?’

‘Of course’ Robert winked while opening Porsche’s door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To the next chapter I have to come up for some one liners for Robert and am a bit over my head with that, it might take a while...


	7. Point of No Return?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things with Rebecca become heated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter wasn't easy. I had hard time with Robert's one-liners, so I didn't do those at all. There is so much amazing big works up just now, hopefully someone has time for this little thing too!

Roberts phone was constantly vibrating: Yesterday they had decided to tell about the baby to the whole family. They had sent similar messages to Liv, Vic, Diane, Chas and Adam and the phone had been beeping constantly after that. The response had been happy, concerned and of course angry from Aaron's side, but he had tried to calm his lot down by telling them that he was happy. It all had been a bit overwhelming, but Robert guessed that they should get used to it since both of their families were coming back sooner than later. 

Robert was on a good mood and he wanted to put his good mood to use and decided to share it with Aaron. Walking, phone in his hand, Robert had an idea which made his mood even better. He knew how Aaron blushed and went all read down from his hairline when he got sex messages during business hours, so he sent him a message: ‘Imagine how good it feels when you start to wake up, all rested, limbs heavy, supporting a very enjoyable morning wood and then you realize that your lovers mouth is already caressing it thoroughly. Can’t wait to return the favor…’ Robert smirked, sent the message and shut the phone as the hospital ward came closer. 

When he opened the door to the ward, he saw a male nurse coming his way. Although there was plenty of room to pass him, the nurse accidentally pumped in to him. While saying “Sorry” out loud he hissed ‘Be prepared, she’s on a warpath with you’. Stunned, Robert froze for a while, wondering what the hell was that about. He heard the recognizable clack of Rebecca’s heels approaching and before he even saw Rebecca he felt the slap on his face.

‘What the hell was that for?!’ Robert took an appropriately disapproving expression to his face, when really, he was slapped around so often that he couldn’t be bothered with something so mundane.

‘You! You bring your lovers here to my little daughter’s room to make out with them, you should respect her more!’

‘I don’t bring lovers here, I brought Aaron. My husband, remember, the one you told you were ok with involved with her.’

‘I didn’t mean you can suck face in her room!’

‘If I want to kiss my husband it’s our choice not yours and besides we didn’t even kiss in her room! You are just pissed ‘cause you wanted me to suck your face!’  
Robert could see he hit a nerve there. Rebecca backed down and left, Robert sighed, went to the baby’s room and started to talk to the baby, making her ready to come to the KMC.

When the previously mentioned male nurse came in, Robert opened Aarons hoodie, went to the couch and waited for the nurse to give him her daughter. Waiting, he took a good look at the nurse and asked curiously ‘Why did you give me heads up just now? I thought all the nurses are on Rebecca’s side?’

‘Well, I’ve met your Aaron and have a little wider look on the situation at hand. I’m Daniel.’

‘Oh, you’re the one my husband has been having meetings with! Should I be jealous? I’m a bit possessive with him, I don’t even try to hide it.’

‘Nah, you’re all right mate. I have a wife, Annabelle, so I’m not interested in him in that way.’

‘Hey, I had a fiancée when he caught my eye, so a wife counts for nothing! Trust me, I know.’

‘For real, I’m not interested in him like that, I like my partner to be petite and smelling like flowers’

‘I guess my scruffy, oil stained hubby won’t do it for you then’ Robert said smiling softly to the mere thought of Aaron. ‘So, what do you want from him then?’

‘Dunno, I guess his just interesting. His story is interesting, same as you twos story is interesting. I guess I’m a sucker for a good story.’

‘We are your very own Game of Thrones then, is that wat you’re telling me?’ Robert said a bit sharply

‘Exactly’ Daniel told him completely unembarrassed

Robert thought about it for a while, cleared his throat and said ‘For real, it’s nice to have someone on our corner for a change. Thanks’

‘Don’t mention it’ Daniel stated without understanding how rare it was to hear something like that from Robert. ‘Now, let’s get this girl to his father’

With his daughter on his chest, Robert had time to talk more with Daniel and it turned out that Rebecca wasn’t fine with Aaron being involved with the baby. Telling the truth, it seemed that Robert had been right, she wasn’t ok with Aaron being involved with Robert, because she didn’t lose it when she heard about Aaron going to see the baby, she had lost it when she heard about the kiss. She had heard from the nurses, of course. Luckily, she didn’t hear about the sex after the kiss…

****

From that day, the arguing and constant yelling started. Robert and Rebecca couldn’t agree on anything. They argued at the hospital and by the phone: did Robert use Rebecca’s breastmilk correctly, was Robert allowed to use formula. Was Aaron allowed to see the baby. Did they want to use their own or hospital’s clothes with the baby. It seemed like Rebecca wanted to decide did Robert pee standing up or sitting down. The way she was behaving, she was starting to resemble her older sister. 

They fought at the hospital and they fought at the phone, daily and everywhere. 

Baby should have gotten her name already, but they weren’t anywhere near naming her. Robert liked big names, such as Victoria and Sarah and since they were already taken he would prefer Patricia, Charlotte, Madeline etc. On the other hand, Rebecca liked hippie names such as Sunbeam Talia or Rainbow Star and Robert wasn’t willing to even negotiate on a name like that. Aaron hovered on the sidelines and wondered, would he be calling the baby mini-Sugden for the rest of his life.

Aaron tried to avoid the hospital as much as he could, but he kept meeting Daniel at the cafeteria, he was fun distraction. On a one evening Daniel told Aaron that he was concerned in behalf of the baby, because her parents fought so much every time they saw each other, that the baby started to cry whenever she heard them together. Fighting wasn't doing any favors for the baby’s growth. Aaron agreed. The arguing had started to get to him even before, he didn’t have good memories of his parents arguing when he was growing up, but also the constant arguing kinda made him feel an outsider. The arguments were something he couldn’t get in of, not that he even wanted to, but still it disturbed him. Daniel left Aaron to figure out how to knock some sense to both Robert and Rebecca.

****

On a November evening, Aaron was heading home after an exhausting day at the scrapyard. They had had a lot of elderly people coming in, trying to sell them their stuff and of course, the sellers thought Holy Scrap was offering them too little money and they started to bargain and let’s just say, Aaron wasn’t a peoples’ person on a good day and he really wasn’t peoples’ person on a day like this. 

There was almost visible black cloud hovering over him, the customers annoyed him, he had a hammering headache and he still hadn’t figured how to stop the arguing. Coming home he really didn’t want anything else than a hot shower and little sleep. It seemed that he wasn’t going to get neither of those things, since the first thing he heard opening the door to the Mill was yelling. Grimacing, he stuffed his keys back to his jacket pocket and went to the kitchen to get a beer and to show to Robert that he was home. He loitered to the living space of the Mill, threw his jacket to the chair, opened the telly and half listened Robert arguing while sipping his beer.

It seemed that there was nothing new on the argument-list, just same old same old. Eventually, after half-an-hour, Robert came from the kitchen seething of anger. He gave a quick peck to Aaron lips and sat beside Aaron. Even the little touch of their lips started to calm him down. Just another sign for Robert that he would be lost without Aaron’s touch.

‘How was your day, darling’ Robert asked with his best housewife tone.

‘Shit’ Aaron replied with his original grumpy git voice ‘And I have a headache’

‘Is it No sex for you today or Could you massage my shoulders kind of headache?’ Robert asked giving a new kiss to Aarons lips.

‘Both’

‘Go on then, sit to the floor and I will massage those shoulders of yours' Robert told Aaron tugging him from his hoodie. When Aaron did move, Robert opened Aaron's hoodie and took his t-shirt off, accidentally giving few kisses to Aaron's neck. Carefully pressing his fingers to Aaron's aching muscles, he started to tell about his day, about the baby and about his baby’s annoying mother. As the story went on, he felt Aaron's muscles tense and asked ‘What’s wrong?’

‘Rob’ Aaron answered eyes closed, it was easier to talk like that, still feeling Roberts touch but not seeing his eyes ‘You need to make this stop. There’s nothing normal or good with this thing you have going on with Rebecca’

‘What do you mean?’

‘You are on each other’s throats all the time, bickering about the little things and yelling about the big things. I know you always need someone to hate, but it can’t be your child’s mother. I know she’s annoying as fuck, but you need to stop arguing with her. Try to make her see sense, sense that she is never going to get you and this isn’t good for your child. And she needs a name, the baby I mean.’

‘Why should I be the bigger man?’

‘Cause I’m asking you to be. You’re in a good place now, there is no reason why you couldn’t be the bigger man. This is pushing me to edge, I don’t want to live in the middle of a war zone. Besides I’m starting to feel that there’s still some feelings between you too, otherwise why would you act like that with her’

Robert loosened his grip from Aarons shoulders and turned him around. ‘Aaron, you know there’s no feelings on my part, there has never been’ 

Aaron kneeled between Roberts legs, wrapped his hands around Roberts waist and took a good look of him and said ‘I know that. You need to make her see that too, there’s nothing to gain from the fighting. You don’t have to be cruel, you just need to make her see sense. If that doesn’t work out you can talk through lawyers. And… I think you should do it as soon as possible.’

Getting up, Aaron told: ‘I’m going to take a shower and kip a little, maybe you should go to Home Farm.’

‘What, now?!’

‘Yes, now. It’s not like you have something better to do…’

‘I’m not sure, she’s just so mind-blowingly-annoying when she’s like this…’ Aaron gave Robert a demanding look and Robert gave in, of course he did ‘OK, OK I’ll go. You know I always do everything you ask’

‘Better keep it that way’ Aaron said with a wink. He got up and sent a very reluctant Robert on his way.

****

Aaron woke up to the feeling that something was off, a little groggy from the deep sleep in a dark room, it took him a while to understand what was the problem. Eventually he realized, that he didn’t hear Robert's breathing. He moved his hand to Roberts side of the bed: it was cold, Robert hadn’t been there. It was pitch black outside and in their bedroom, so he had to fumble a bit in the dark to find his phone. It was 1.30 AM and he had no messages or missed calls. He tried to call Robert, no answer.

Aaron's mind started racing, he debated in his head: What the fuck is going on… He wouldn’t end up in bed with her again? No, no he wouldn’t. He knew Robert could lose his temper arguing, could something like happened with Katie happen? No, Aaron would be the first person he would call. Where is he? Aaron tried calling again. No answer. What the fuck is going on?

He checked WhatsApp, Robert hadn’t been there since he left home. Aaron tried calling again. No answer. Has he been in an accident?

He started panicking a little with the memory of them underwater, trapped in a car. Got dressed while calling him again, straight to voicemail. Aaron run, almost fell down the stairs. Tried to find his keys, they were nowhere to be found. With a shaking breath, he sat down to put his shoes on, noticing he had no socks. While sitting he tried to calm down. Robert wouldn’t die on him, he wouldn’t and he most certainly wouldn’t cheat on him. Still, those were the first things he thought of. No, no he wouldn’t. 

Something was wrong, he knew it in his gut, something IS wrong. Since he didn’t know where his keys were, he decided to walk to Home Farm, he put his jacket on and then realized, the keys were in its pocket. 

He run to his car and drove off, leaving the light on in the Mill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are only couple of chapters to go after this.


	8. The Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron finds Robert. 
> 
> Please notice tags I've added for this chapter.

Aaron drove along the country roads leading to Home Farm, he took his time. It was hard to see in the dark and the heavy raining that started during the drive didn’t help. He tried to make sure that he wouldn’t miss any signs of an accident. When he left home, he thought he couldn’t be more worried than he was then, but it turned out that the longer he drove, more worried he came. There were no signs of accidents, he didn’t know should he be relieved or more worried.

He could hear thunder far away and realized that’s why his head had been hurting all day. When he arrived at Home Farms driveway, worry suddenly changed to rage. There was that flipping Porsche! It was neatly between Chrissie’s SUV and Rebecca’s classic car, looking cozy. What the hell Robert was playing at, with both of the sisters?! Aaron hadn’t even known that the sisters were on speaking terms.

Now, furious Aaron stride to the front door, turned the handle only to realize it was locked. The door that everyone knew was never locked, was now suddenly closed and locked. Aaron tried to get a look inside, but everything was dark, he didn’t see anything. It sounded like Robert was participating in some kind of rave. There was this loud bass thumping coming from the house. Perplexed he walked to the office door, which was also locked. There was only the kitchen door left. 

Aaron felt adrenaline pumping in his muscles, he couldn’t believe he was here again. Almost a year since he found Robert and Rebecca there together, the night Robert took his ring off. 

He tried the kitchen doors handle, surprisingly it opened. Aaron stepped in, immediately feeling tingling in his spine. Music roared in the completely dark house, air in the house was still, almost like the house was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. There was this smell in the air, Aaron knew that smell, but couldn’t quite remember where he knew it from.

Then it all happened at once. Lightning flashed and lighted the room for a second and Aaron saw a glint of something and thankfully prison life had thought him to move before thinking, flee whenever his instinct told him so. He took a step back and turned himself sideways, in the same moment he felt flashing pain in his stomach. It was familiar feeling to him, he could feel blood running from a cut. Aaron took the first thing he got his hands on, a bottle from the counter and he hit as hard as he could. It made the attacker to lose his balance, so that Aaron could hit the knife away from him. Immediately the attacker was back up and rushed to the door, he was heavy and strong, there was nothing Aaron could do to stop him and then he was already out of the house. 

What the hell had just happened, Aaron wondered absent-mindedly, pressuring the cut in his stomach. 

Aaron was panting heavily out of anger and fear; He had to go and find Robert. In the dark, he took a step forward and felt his sneaker sliding on the floor, he tried to fight it, but there was something slippery on the floor and he lost his balance. Falling and hitting his elbow, he realized what was the smell in the house. It was blood. He had slid on blood. As he hit the floor, he ended up looking to Chrissie Whites eyes. 

Those eyes were dead, only movement in those were the lightnings that flashed outside. Almost screaming he fought himself back up and turned to Chrissie, trying to find her pulse. As he moved her, he saw that finding the pulse was hardly necessary, her throat had been cut open and her body had started cooling already.

With trembling hands, he found his phone and called 999.

‘Emergency, how may I help you?’

‘…Yeah…erm… here’s a dead body’

‘Who are you and where are you calling from’

‘Aaron Dingle, I… I… I just came to find Robert and I found this’

‘Where are you’

‘I’m at Homefarm, in Emmerdale.

‘What has happened’

‘I… I don’t know! Aaron cried. ‘I need to find Robert!’

‘Who is this Robe….’

Aaron didn’t hear end of the question, during the call he had raced to the hall and dropped the phone, when he saw Robert lying in the stairs. He’s foot was in a really awkward position, his eyes were closed and his shirt was blooded. 

‘Robert no, you’re not leaving me, no!’ 

He run to him and found a pulse. Robert wasn’t conscious. He had several cuts all over his body, but none of those looked really bad. His leg was bad and a wound on his head hemorrhaged plenty.

Aaron started looking around to find something he could press Roberts head with and he saw feet under the table. He run there and saw Rebecca. She looked bad. Red blood was everywhere and yet her lips were almost white. She was taking shaky shallow breaths and with every exhale came these little bloody bubbles from her mouth. Her eyes were wide and wild with fear, she was like a deer caught in the headlights.

‘Hey, it’s Aaron. You don’t have to be afraid anymore’

Rebecca tried to say something, but nothing came out. Breathing got worse every second. She concentrated, looked deep in to Aarons eyes opened her mouth to say something and in a blink of an eye, she was gone. Aaron could see how life had left her eyes. There was nothing left in her. 

Aaron couldn’t start thinking of that now, he had to get back to Robert. He took his jacket off, pressured it to that head wound. ‘You’re going to be okay, you are.’ Aaron cried. He made sure Robert was still breathing and waited for the ambulance. Thunderstorm was raging outside as he was sitting in Homefarms stairs where he waited and waited. It felt like forever. 

He took Robert's head in to his lap, stroked that beautiful blond hair which was now soaked in blood and talked about the things they had dreamed of and the things they had, all the people who would miss him. He talked about how Robert can’t leave him, how Robert can’t leave his daughter, daughter who had already lost her mother today. He told Robert how he isn’t allowed to leave him because Aaron couldn’t live without him. 

Aaron was deep in their little world. He couldn’t hear the sirens because the music was on so loud, he probably wouldn’t have heard those even without the music. He didn’t notice flashing lights when emergency vehicles arrived. He cried desperate silent sobs as he sat there talking in a soothing voice, holding his husband close, as close as he could. He wanted never to let go.

First came the police, then came the ambulance. Suddenly it was quiet again, someone had paused the music, Aaron could hear people speaking, but it was like he didn’t understand what they said. He just felt cold and he was trembling, tears running from his eyes.

Paramedics started treating Robert, someone asked Aaron, if he was ok, he just nodded. Eventually they put Robert to a trolley and started carrying him to the ambulance. Aaron got up and followed, told them ‘I’m his husband, I come with you’. Paramedics looked concerned in Aaron's condition but nodded and showed him where to sit.

Aaron was just getting in the ambulance when a car drove beside it. Aaron recognized DS Hart, who got out of the car and walked triumphantly to Aaron. ‘We meet again Livsey’

‘Dingle’

‘Whatever. Last time you got away, now we got you. You are staying here.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a different kind of chapter, I would very much like to hear what do you think of this. Was the thunder a bit much, I could change it to moonlight? Quite clearly you people didn't like the previous chapter since it got only two kudos!


	9. Waiting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron eventually get's to the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit of a filler chapter, I'm not completely happy with it, but since Emmerdale was quite good today, maybe I can live with this. And there really are mistakes about police investigation, but it's my fic and I can do whatever I want with it!

‘He is in the back of an ambulance and I’m not with him! Because of you!’ Aaron accused DS Hart with voice almost like a growl. Aaron was lead back to the house by the police. He was visibly shaking and clearly not in a good state of mind.

'So Mr Livesy, I’m sorry Mr Dingle, would you care to tell us why were you here covered in blood, with two bodies and a person whose shooting is still unsolved and who is again fighting for his life. And if I may add, you were the prime suspect in the first shooting.'

Aaron tried scowling but he was too shaken for that and just answered ‘I came looking for Rob, my husband and when I came in I pumped into someone, slid on the floor, saw Chrissie, got up, found Robert, found Rebecca and waited for you guys.’

‘I just found this hard to believe, since in our records you don’t have a husband.’ DS Hart stated, being just as obnoxious as she was on their previous encounters.

‘He is, he is my husband in here forever.’ Aaron said tapping his chest, his heart.

At the same time, a young police officer came in to the room, looking a bit green and whispered something in DS Hart’s ear. DS Hart told Aaron to wait and left him in the room. He wasn’t ready to be alone in this house, he started panicking, could feel his hands trembling and breathing getting harder. His thoughts were going round and round, just to come back to the start: Where’s Robert now, is he in pain, I got to get there, where’s Robert, I got to get there. Just when he was getting up, determined to go to the hospital, DS Hart came back and said ‘It’s four murders and one murder attempt now, you are in a lot of trouble.’

Aaron crashed down to the chair he was just getting up from ‘Tell me it isn’t Robert, please tell me it isn’t Robert that died! he pleaded voice broken’

‘No, we found two elderly males dead in their beds upstairs.’ DS Hart stated matter of factly.

‘What? Lawrence and Ronnie? It can’t be, who would do something like this?!’

DS Hart just stood there and watched Aaron’s reactions closely.

Suddenly Aaron realized something ‘Wait a minute… Have you found Lachlan?’

At the same time, distinguished looking grey-haired man in a uniform came to the room and told DS Hart that, he has listened to the 999-tape and it didn’t verify suspicions against Mr Dingle and as a result they should let him go to his loved one.

‘Thank you’ relieved Aaron said getting up ‘At last someone is talking sense’.

The man asked ‘Do you have any idea who could have done this?’

Aaron hesitated but then decided to tell the truth ‘The man I pumped into felt familiar, I didn’t see his face and after everything I’ve heard my bets on Lachlan White. He is a screwed-up kid, who has it in with many of the villagers, me included.’

‘Who else he might be after’

‘Obviously Alicia, but she’s in Spain. Then David, Jacob and Eric. He is friends with Liv, but she’s in Ireland, he has a thing with our Belle. Those come to mind now.’

‘DS Wise notify all unit’s, we need to get to these people soon. We are late, because you chose to focus on Mr Dingle. My apologies Mr Dingle, you need to let Crime Scene Examiner to examine you, but after that you are free to go. Thanks for your help.

 Aaron stood up feeling a bit dizzy and he had to brace the chair getting up. In a hurry to get to Robert, he took a couple of steps, when suddenly everything went black.

 When Aaron came round, he was laying on the floor and paramedics were dressing his cut.

 ‘You came back then Mr Dingle, gave us a little scare there. Why didn’t you tell us that all that blood wasn’t just from falling to a bloody floor?’

‘Didn’t think that cut was a big thing’

‘Oh, it was. You’ll live, but you need to show that to a doctor and get it cleaned’

‘Can I go now? Where’s my phone? Aaron asked feeling anxious

‘You need to give us your clothes and we need to examine you and I’m afraid your phone is evidence’ answered the young police officer and the paramedic ended the sentence with ‘you’re not fit to drive. Call someone to get you.’ 

The only person Aaron could think was Paddy, thankfully being a vet meant that his phone was on at nighttime and he answered calls from unfamiliar numbers. Aaron lend the police officers phone and rang Paddy. It took 10 minutes and Paddy was there to collect Aaron who was leaning to a planter, getting the white suit he got from the police wet in the rain. Paddy had horrified expression on his face as he started getting up from the car, but Aaron hurried to the car and asked him to drive straight to the hospital. Paddy agreed when Aaron promised to tell everything to him on the way to Hotten.

As soon as the car stopped, Aaron was off and running (the best he could) to the A&E. But everywhere he went he pumped to a wall. It turned out that Robert’s In Case of an Emergency contact list was from the days he had been shot and since they weren’t legally married, no one would tell him anything. Just when Aaron was losing his temper, Pad-dy came in and calmed him down. It was a lot easier these days, compared to the days when he was a teen. Paddy decided to call Diane and tell the news, maybe she could get the hospital staff to share information. After a long and agonizing wait they got a hold on Diane, who got out the information that Robert was in ward 7.

When they got to the ward, it was same thing all over again. They had to call Diane again. After the nurse, who had the displeasure to talk with Diane, got a good old telling-off, Aaron got the information he needed and was let to the room where Robert was in.

Aaron couldn’t focus on what the staff told him, but he understood that Robert had lost a lot of blood and he was given blood transfusion. They had scanned his head, but there was nothing alarming. His hip and leg were broken and he had to go to surgery the next day to repair the fractures. He would have plaster and this metallic support with screws for weeks. During that time, he would be bedbound. However, the worrying thing was that he hadn’t come out of it, he was still unconscious. Doctor’s reckoned that Robert had a feature for this kind of thing, since it was happening again. He had been in a coma after his shooting for a long time and nobody knew why. All Aaron could do was same as last time, he had to wait. At least he wasn’t in a prison now.

Aaron sat by the bed and waited.

Paddy managed to get the doctor to Roberts room to examine Aaron's cut and they stitched him up. Paddy also went to the Mill to fetch some clothes for Aaron, who was still  in that white suite and skin covered in blood. With difficulty, he managed to get Aaron cleaned up and he started to look human again. Paddy told him that Diane and Vic were coming home and that Chas and Liv are coming as soon as they find a carer for Sandra.

It turned out that the perpetrator was Lachlan, he had gone after Eric and police had shot him dead in the village. The Whites were all dead, including Ronnie. Apart from Robert and Aaron, no one else was harmed.

Two days Aaron sat beside Roberts bed. On day one they did the surgery on his leg and hip, but after that Aaron just waited, sat there, hand in Robert’s hand, not talking to anyone. He rubbed those beautiful long fingers with his own and waited for something to happen.

On the third day at 2 am, Aaron was sitting in the dark when he felt his ring move, looking down wondering what had made it move, he realized that Robert’s thumb had been on Aarons ring and now the thumb was twitching. Looking up he saw Roberts eyes fluttering. Immediately Aaron stood up and spoke with a low reassuring voice, the voice Robert used talking to Aaron ‘Robert you’re safe. I’m here and you are in hospital’ Aaron said pressing furiously the button which alarmed the medical staff.

After thorough examination Robert and Aaron were alone in the room, just them. Aaron ran his fingers through Roberts hair, let his thumb linger on Roberts cheek and said ‘I’ve nearly lost you twice now, I can’t do it again. Never ever do that to me again!’ Then came the tears. He hadn’t cried whole time he was sitting in the hospital, but now he found those tears again. He cried out of fear he had been feeling for two days and the relief Robert was back, he didn’t even dare to think about the things they both had gone through in Home Farm. He sat there and cried.

Robert took Aaron’s hand to his own, squeezed a little. With a husky voice Robert told Aaron ‘I’m here now, not going anywhere. I’m so glad Lachlan didn’t get to you. You know it was Lachlan, don’t you?’

‘Yes, he was shot at the village. And he did get to me a little when I came to look for you at the Homefarm.’ Aaron said lifting his shirt and showing his stitches to Robert.

Grimacing Robert asked ‘How’s everyone else, how’s Rebecca?’

‘I’m afraid she’s dead Robert. They all are.’

Robert just sat there in his bed for a while, incredulous expression on his face. Then he got his voice back and asked ‘How’s the baby?’

Looking horrified Aaron answered ‘Shit, Robert, I don’t know. Haven’t even remembered her when you were unconscious. Aaron started pacing around the room ‘What kind of person that makes me? Please don’t hate me!’

‘Aaron, Aaron, calm down. Come here. Robert added ‘Now’ when Aaron looked hesitant. Robert took Aaron’s hand in his and looked deep in his eyes. ‘You were worried about me and you’ve only met her a couple of times, so don’t beat yourself up about that’

Aaron nodded a little.

‘But Aaron, you need to make a huge favor for me, you need to go to the ward and see if she’s ok. Could you do that for me?’

‘Of course Robert, I’ll go right now’ Aaron reassured Robert, pressed a kiss to his cheek and left to see the baby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ella, a small (very small) retaliation you hoped for.


	10. Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to make life altering decisions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kudos and comments!
> 
> I don't like this chapter either, Robert is hard to write, especially in this situation, but I kinda like the change in dynamics. And after last week in Emmerdale, I'm really glad I killed the whole White family!

Aaron left Robert’s room, squinting in the bright lights, almost immediately crashing with a hospital bed someone had left in the middle of the corridor. He raced through the hospital, only slowing down the closer he got to the baby. In the early hours the hospital was quiet and Aaron got to the baby’s room without anyone noticing. There she was, in her incubator sleeping without a care in the world. Aaron sighed and stroked the baby’s cheek ‘What am I going to do with you, aye?’ Aaron murmured to her, baby wiggled her nose and made a little uttering noise of contentment, as if she was answering him not to worry so much.

Suddenly, he heard a voice behind him asking, what business he was there for, no one was allowed to come to those rooms. Turning around Aaron saw the nurse speaking was just Daniel who just now realized it was Aaron with the baby.

‘What are you doing here at this hour?! First no one comes to see her in days and then you are here in the middle of the night.’

‘Haven’t you seen the papers, don’t you know what's happened? Robert and Rebecca were attacked and Robert’s been unconscious up until now, Rebecca died.’

‘How, what…’ Daniel trailed off waving with his hands ‘Sit down, do you want a brew?’

‘I should be getting back, Robert’s waiting.’ 

‘Relax, if I know anything about patients in his situation, he probably fell asleep right after you closed the door.’

‘Haven’t eaten in two days, so yeah, maybe a brew would be good’

Daniel gave him a worried look and said ‘Tell me, in your own time’.

And Aaron told everything from waking up and wondering where Robert might be, it seemed so far away, to this day. Daniel listened and comforted Aaron who was crying and talking. After a while he calmed down and said to Daniel ‘I really should get back, Robert is waiting information about his daughter. What can I tell him?’ 

‘She’s doing fine. Maybe I could come by his room and tell him all the details after my shift?’

‘That would be great, I have been here too long already.’ Aaron started to worry.

‘You go back and I drop by after 7 am and talk with him.’ 

Aaron was on his way, but turned back and said with honesty in his eyes. ‘Thank you for everything, for letting me vent’

‘No problem, anytime mate, you know where to find me.’

Robert was fast asleep when Aaron came back. Aaron took his time, admiring that beautiful man, his man. He was so happy Robert was alive. A warmth settled down to his chest enveloping the tight knot which had been aching there for days now. Aaron didn’t have the hart to wake him up, so he tried to get cozy in the armchair, but now when the biggest stress was gone, his body started to protest and it was impossible to sleep in it. Tossing and turning, he remembered the unused bed in the middle of the corridor. He got up and peeked through the door and pushed it in to the room, next to Roberts bed. He climbed in and pulled the duvet to his ears, took Roberts hand to his own and within minutes he was dead to the world.

****

Both men woke up, when Daniel called out laughing ‘So here’s the bed that everyone has been looking for!’ Looking slightly embarrassed Aaron sat up while Robert was clear-ly trying to locate his whereabouts. Daniel made eye contact with him and said ‘Robert, you’re in a hospital and I came to talk with you about the baby, she’s fine’. Aaron stood up, not wanting to be nosey and mumbled something about going to the loo. Robert took his hand, gave a light kiss to his knuckles and spoke with a raspy voice ‘Don’t be too long, I don’t want to worry’.

Aaron hovered in the corridor until Daniel came out, gave him a hug and told that even though they felt a bit broken now, they were going to be fine. Nodding furiously Aaron walked through the door and climbed back to bed. Taking a close look on his husband who was pale and whose eyes were glazed he said ‘I guess it’s time we talk’ Robert nodded. Both men started talking at the same time ‘I was so scared for you!’

Sitting on their beds shoulder to shoulder Aaron encouraged Robert to start talking. Robert told how he went to Home Farm and at first, they fought furiously with Rebecca but when Robert got her to realize that for real they are never going to get together, she backed down and they could start discussing about what their baby needed. 

The discussion took a long time and they went to the office to draw up an agreement about how they are going to take care of their daughter. When they were printing it, Robert went up to use the toilet and Rebecca went to get something they could toast with and to tell Lachlan to keep the noise down, he was listening to music really loud. 

Robert thought he had heard screaming when he was upstairs and came running, only to see Rebecca covered in blood and Lachlan with a knife ready to charge on Robert. They fought, Lachlan got some punches in but Robert could evade the knife, then they heard banging on the front door and Lachlan got even more angry and then Robert had no chance. After that Robert didn’t remember anything until the hospital. 

After Robert had told everything he remembers, Aaron told everything that happened to him.

‘How are you feeling now? You lost your whole ex-family-in-law in one night. You hadn’t shed a tear, I have, many’ Aaron asked concerned of his husband.

‘Oh. I bet you have’ Robert grinned ‘I don’t do crying, maybe it’s a default setting of mine. It feels weird that they are all gone, but will I miss them? No, I don’t think so. It’s just weird.’

‘But you talk to me, if you feel like it, yeah?

‘So Aaron, how are you feeling? 

‘I’m sure Chrissie’s eyes are going to haunt me for the rest of my life, but I’ll live.’ 

Straightening creases on Robert’s duvet Aaron said casually ‘An another thing, we need to get married legally, it was hell trying to get information about you because we are not legally married’. Robert went quiet for a while and just after Aaron begun to get nervous, he took Aarons hand in to his and asked ‘The love of my life, Aaron, will you marry me, again?’ 

Without hesitation came Aarons answer ‘Of course I will’.

Kissing was a bit awkward because Robert couldn’t move and Aaron was sitting beside him. After a while of trying Aaron gave up, turned around on the bed and leaned his back to the bed’s end, so he could see Robert. He started rubbing Robert’s uninjured leg talking at the same time, hesitantly he started ‘We still have something to talk about… the baby…’

‘Now that her mother is dead, I guess she goes where I go. Is that a problem? I know how you have been feeling about this the last months’ Robert said with openness that was still new to Aaron, it has been there only from this summer and it still made Aaron to feel tickling in his spine, this was something no one else got to see.

‘I guess I don’t have a problem with it, how could I be bitter for a woman who is dead or jealous over a girl whose mother is dead? But only time will tell. Do you have something in mind… for my role in this I mean’

‘You are my husband and we share a life, I want you to be her father. With me. Is that something you would want too?’

‘Erm… that isn’t at all what I’ve been preparing for these last months…

And just then came a nurse in, to do all her morning duties with Robert. Aaron got up from the bed and told Robert that he’ll give them some space, he’ll go and grab something to eat.

‘Aaron…’ Robert tried to make an eye contact with him, but Aaron kept looking at his shoes ‘Aaron… shouldn’t we…’ 

Aaron could hear the panic in Robert’s voice and interrupted ‘Robert, don’t worry, this isn’t easy or simple, but I will be back in an hour and I will give you my answer’.

With that Aaron left.

****

Aaron left the hospital for the first time in days. He was somewhat surprised that it was a beautiful, sunny but cold morning. It almost seemed that the world has moved on while he was in the hospital. From his walks he knew a little café near the hospital, Aaron decided to go there to clear his thoughts. He went in and ordered a Full English, after all, he hadn’t eaten in days. Although the café was smaller than Bob’s at the village, there was this anonymity with the constantly changing customers, that Aaron enjoyed.

If you watched Aaron from a far, you could see that he was a man who didn’t want to talk to anyone, deep in thought frowning, when suddenly that expression changed to a quick smile and then back to frowning again. He finished his meal and started walking back to the hospital, still deep in thought. He walked past Robert’s ward and kept on walking, until he came to the baby’s ward. He went in, took a chair and just stared at the child.

****

Coming out of the ward, Aaron fished his phone out of his pocket (Paddy had brought him a new one) and typed a message.

*Hiya, how are you doing. Missing you*

An answer came almost instantly

*You soppy git, on our way home. How’s me other brother*

Aaron couldn’t help but to smile at that.

*Looking forward for you to come pestering him. Love you*

And with that Aaron walked back to Roberts room.

‘Where the hell have you been, you said an hour, it’s been two and I can’t exactly go looking for you, I’m going crazy with worry here!’ Robert exclaimed the second he saw Aaron.

‘Sorry, didn’t mean to worry you, time just got away from me. So… I guess I need to talk now.’ Aaron said his expression not giving anything away, fidgeting his ring. ‘I’m sorry but…’

Robert lifted his hand over his eyes with a pained expression. ‘Are we over now?’

‘No, you silly man, just a couple hours ago we decided to get married, of course we aren’t over. Now, just let me speak. I was saying I’m sorry, but it was a bit much to take in, I needed time to think. From a bloke who knew that he isn’t going to have children, at least not by accident since I have sex just with men, it’s a big shock becoming a daddy within days.’

‘Does that mean what I think it means, we are doing this together?’

‘Yeah, yes it does. I was thinking how soon you, me and Liv started to feel like a family, maybe same happens again.’

‘Have I ever told you how much I love you’

‘Yeah, multiple times, but you can never tell that too often’ Aaron answered pink rising to his cheeks, biting his lip as a way to suppress a smile.

Robert took his hand and pulled his husband near enough to place his hands to Aaron’s neck and kissed him softly. ‘God, I love you, I guess you can never understand how much’

‘Soppy git’ Aaron said with a look that told Robert everything he needed to know. ‘So, what now?’ Aaron asked

‘Are you willing to start from the deep end or do you want to take it slow?‘ 

‘I guess I don’t do things easy.’

‘Well good, because Daniel told me that the baby is fine, but her development had slowed down a little since no one has given her the KMC treatment. Nurses don’t have time for that, I can’t go there and she can’t come here. So, I guess I’m asking, could you do that as long as I can’t?

‘Oh, you really meant the deep end…’


	11. Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron and Robert are trying to adjust to the new situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW 92 kudos, never did I think this would get so many! Thank you for all of them! Comments are always appreciated too!

Aaron woke up with a start, his phone was ringing somewhere under the pile of clothes on the floor. When he finally found it, he couldn’t get it to stop ringing. After battling with it for a while it turned out that the phone was upside down and it wasn’t ringing, the noise was just his alarm. Heart racing, Aaron slumped back to the bed. Bit by bit he woke and remembered everything that had happened, starting with why Robert wasn’t in their bed this morning.

It really was weird, kinda like everything had happened to someone else. He didn’t feel it, he didn’t feel the decisions that had been made, it was almost like he was watching everything from outside. Aaron wasn’t used to that, he always felt everything, even the little things like picking Liv from school or Robert's toothbrush in the bathroom. If something, he felt too much. Should he be worried about this thing, not feeling anything, did this mean he made a wrong decision?

Nonetheless, he didn’t have the time to start thinking that now. He had to get up and take a shower and eat and get ready to go to the hospital, to Robert and the baby, their baby… …Yes, this definitely was weird. 

The hesitation didn’t yield from his mind during the shower. Shower was too hot, just the way he liked it. Toasts were just right kind of crispy and coffee hot. Everything was going just right, he should be enjoying his morning, but still he didn’t feel whole lot of anything.

He had hopped around his house in a towel. After all, this was his house. Just when he was getting his clothes on, he got a text from Robert reminding him that he should dress the hoodie Robert had had on him when he was holding their daughter, the baby would know that scent which had a mixture of Robert’s and Aaron’s scents. 

Aaron couldn’t hold back the smile Robert’s text brought to his face. Robert really had written their daughter, wasn’t that a bit soon? Was he really going to be the father to this girl. He should panic right about now, but still nothing.

Aaron really didn’t feel like himself and decided to call his counselor to talk about this. He had talked with her already, after Robert woke up, so he didn’t have to go through all of it again.

‘Counselor Helen Rooney’ answered that posh but compassionate voice which had become so familiar to Aaron during the last few months.

‘Yhm… erm… It’s Aaron Dingle here’

‘Good morning Aaron, you’re not a big caller and now twice in so many days. What do you have on your mind?’

Aaron told how he was feeling or not feeling anything at the moment and asked should he be worried? After asking a few questions the counselor assured that all this was normal after the shock they had had, his psyche just tried to keep him operational at this stressful time. She was sure, the feelings would come back. Relieved to hear this, Aaron asked 

‘Are you sure this isn’t a sign that I shouldn’t go through with this baby thing’. 

The counselor told him, that he is the only one who knows about should he or shouldn’t he, no one else could know that.

Aaron decided to kill two birds with one stone and ask her about Robert too, since he was also a bit too calm considering everything. The counselor told him that she can’t even guess almost anything about Robert’s condition, without meeting Robert, but for Aaron she would try to answer something. She asked what kind of a person Robert was usually, was he emotional like Aaron or was he more held back? Aaron described them as polar opposites in acting out their emotions. The counselor told him, that she reckoned the stress would catch up with Robert also, for sure, when the timing is better for his body. If he won’t open up to someone he might start acting like tired, grumpy or withdrawn and Aaron will need patience with him.

‘And Aaron, Robert needs to see a traumaterapist.’

With that they said their goodbyes. Aaron pondered about their conversation for a while and came to the realization that this really is what he wants to do, only the emotions that linked to this, in good and bad, were missing. Aaron left to get to the hospital. It was a big day ahead for him.

\--

First, he popped in to see Robert, who lay in his bed shuffling tv channels with his remote, looking annoyed. His irritation melted from his face the minute he saw Aaron.

‘It’s the second day and I’m already bored out of my mind. How am I going to survive all these weeks?’

‘You survived Lachlan, you better survive hospital’ Aaron noted dryly, giving Robert a little smile to find out, if it was too early to joke. Robert grimaced and rolled his eyes, so with this Aaron didn’t get any more information of his thoughts about the whole thing. ‘Maybe I’ll bring your laptop with me tomorrow?’

Robert changed the subject ‘I see you are wearing the hoodie I asked, so, you are really gonna do this?’

‘Yeah, isn’t that what I said yesterday, were you really worried?’ 

‘Yeah, yes I was. This was your chance to run a mile, since I can’t come after you.’

‘I’m not going anywhere, I’m here. I chose you and now I’m choosing that little girl. It terrifies me, but I’m doing it.’

‘C’mere then’ Robert said pulling Aaron by his hand to sit on the bed ‘I feel that I should be so grateful for you about everything, saving my life, choosing my daughter etc. and I really don’t know how, I don’t remember ever being this grateful to anyone, I don’t know how to do it.’

‘Then you know how I feel, you have already saved my life twice and accepted my sister, I’m just doing the same. I guess we are even now and it’s a good thing. We are going to walk the road ahead of us together.’

Robert blinked furiously and nodded. 

Aaron gave a tender kiss to Roberts cheek and got up. ‘So, am I good enough for your daughter dressed like this?’

‘Our daughter Aaron and always. Your always good enough. Hope it goes well.’

‘So, I guess I’ll go now’ Aaron said fidgeting his ring. ‘I’ll come back to tell you how it went. 

‘I’ll wait’ Robert said smiling to Aarons receding back.

\--

So, there she is, Aaron thought staring at the kid. What the hell is he supposed to do now?

Luckily Daniel came back just at that time asking ‘Ready for the show?’

‘No, not really. Haven’t got a clue what the hell I’m doing now, to be honest.’

‘Relax, you don’t have to know anything, every parent of a premie baby has their first time doing this, you two will be fine.’

‘What if I drop her or what if I hurt her with all those lines going in to her, what if she’ll hate me, what if she just cries…? Aaron asked pacing round the little room.

‘Relax, don’t over think it. Baby doesn’t really know you, so we don’t know how she will react, but I believe it’s going to go fine. She has been craving for human touch and you smell like her father, who had the same hoodie.’ 

Daniel pottered around with the medical stuff and assured Aaron ‘It’ll be fine, just relax. If you are being anxious she will be too. Get your shirt off from under your hoodie and then go lie to the couch. I’ll bring the baby here and then I’ll place her to your chest, then I will wrap you two in this cloth. After that you just have to lay there with her, you’ll have to be like that for at least half an hour, preferably for an hour.’ 

‘Why?’ 

‘Moving her, brings stress to her, so it has to be at least half an hour, so we can even out the positive and negative effects. Get comfy, this will take a while.’

Aaron tried to find a good enough position on the couch, finally he found one laying down and suddenly there she was, he didn’t even have time to stress. Aaron tried to think what did this feel like? At least he felt like he was way over his head when all the machines started beeping, right after she came to him. Apparently, the beeping was normal and it happened because of the change in her habitation and it slowed down after a while.

Aaron felt her warm weight on his chest. He had held babies before, although the last one might have been Leo and it had been a while since he had been little. It felt familiar, but at the same time there was nothing familiar. She was so tiny and still she felt huge. Aaron knew that something big was going to happen with her, if he just let it happen. 

After 15 minutes they were both relaxed and Aaron was falling asleep, cheek against her silky hair. He jolted, panicking that he was going to drop her, but there was no worry of that, Daniel had wrapped them together so firmly. 

Now he knew he couldn’t sleep anymore without panicking, so he decided to make a video for Robert, took his phone to his hand and searched for the right angle, angle where Robert could see them both. 

He started recording with a wink of an eye saying ‘Hello daddy, here we are’. His voice, stirred the little one and she made little sounds wiggling her nose, move that was becoming her signature move. 

Aaron was happy with the recording after he watched it and sent it to Robert. He immediately saw those dots that told him Robert had received it. He held to the phone for a moment waiting for Robert’s answer, but it never came. Since there was nothing he could do about it now, Aaron concentrated on the baby for the rest of the time. As he held her, he felt the warm weight on his chest to shift in to his chest, making way to his heart, heart that swelled with all these new feelings for the little one.

After three hours of holding the baby and trying to learn things when Daniel changed her diaper and fed him through the feeding line, he was back at Robert’s ward. Robert didn’t notice him coming in and Aaron got a rare glimpse of Robert with all his walls down. He looked lost in the hospital gown in the middle of a hospital bed. Robert didn’t notice Aaron because he was looking at the video Aaron had sent him and wiping tears from the corner of his eye. Aaron wondered how many times he had watched that clip during the three hours he was with the baby.

This was new to Aaron, Robert usually being the strong one in their relationship, but now it was Aaron’s time to be there for Robert and he was determined to do so. Only, he knew that Robert wasn’t ready to admit needing help, so Aaron had to play with his rules, for now.

Aaron decided to use humor. Leaning to a door frame he said ‘I was under the impression you didn’t do crying?’. 

Robert lifted his eyes from the phone in his hand and blinked furiously ‘No, I don’t… Come here and tell me how it went.’

Aaron decided not to push it, he will speak when he is ready. All Aaron wanted to do was to hold Robert forever, but it was almost impossible to get physically comfortable near him, he was sitting at the middle of the bed with his leg up and Aaron wasn’t small enough to fit to his side. So, Aaron sat to a chair by Robert’s bed, took his hand and asked ‘What do you want to hear?’

‘Everything about her’ came Robert’s answer immediately.

‘You know, I see myself falling in love with her, but I need to be sure that if I do, you won’t take her away from me the first row we have’

‘You know I won’t, I couldn’t even if I tried. Since we first met I couldn’t stay away from you no matter how hard I tried. And even if I could do it, I wouldn’t want you to lose her.’ After a little pause he added ‘Would you want to adopt her?’

‘Is it possible?’

‘Can’t see why not? Should I ask a lawyer to put things into motion?

‘Well, if you could just find out if that’s even possible.’ 

‘How did it go?’

‘It was good, she didn’t cry her eyes out and her condition was stable. How come she has dark hair?’

‘You don’t think Rebecca was a natural blond? She was just as dark as her sister, she just wanted to be different’ Robert said rolling his eyes, something he had picked from Aaron and Liv. 

‘Tomorrow I can start to learn how to feed her and change the diapers.’ Aaron told Robert, he was again playing with his ring, so he didn’t notice how Robert’s expression had darkened and was surprised when Robert took his tea mug from the table and threw it straight to the door.

‘What the hell was that?!’

‘I don’t know, it’s just… never mind…’

‘No Robert, please, talk to me! We made a promise that we will talk, you will be honest and I won’t be judgmental, now talk’

‘I’m just so useless. She’s there and I’m here and I could feed her, but still I’m here in this fucking bed!’ 

This was all too familiar for Aaron. Not the throwing things, but the tantrum was. Jackson used to have those, it ate him from inside, not being able to do anything for himself. But Robert still could do a lot of things, Aaron just had to come up with a way to make Robert see it too. It wouldn’t happen today, though.

‘Robert, it is what it is. You need to stay still, so you can get better and take care of her when she comes home. Imagine if you two could leave the hospital and go home at the same time!’ 

Robert grabbed his arm and pulled him up from the chair. He put his arms around Aaron’s waist, holding on for dear life. Aaron could only see his blond hair and he played with it, fondled it, quite like he fondled Robert’s daughter’s hair just a couple of hours ago. It felt like family.

‘You smell of her. I miss her.’ Robert muttered against Aarons stomach

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It turns out the boys are talking so much these days, that unlike I told before, we are nowhere near the end. Maybe we'll get the name in the next chapter. Any guesses?


	12. The Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Police come around the hospital and Aaron and Robert discuss about baby names.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 107 kudos, how did that happen? Thanks every one of you who has given this story kudos! I hope you keep reading!
> 
> I apologize how incompetent police in Emmerdale are, but I guess they have almost always been like that, so why not now also.

After a while Robert loosened his grip on Aaron and Aaron took a step back to the chair, sitting down, he started playing with Robert’s ring ‘You know, she needs a name’

‘Yeah’ he sighed ‘I know, it’s just… now I could name her whatever I want to name her, but now that Rebecca is dead I can’t just forget her. I guess I need to take her views into consideration, if I want to be a good father and I really want to. I just can’t and won’t name her Rainbow.’

‘We’ll have to come up with something, If I’ll think about it too, would it be OK?

‘Of course, it would! Just try to avoid your family’s book of names, we will not name her Rainbow Jesus either!’

‘We’ll see’ Aaron said and gave Robert a sideways look and a little smirk. Of course, he was going to go through the bible, it was the only way Dingles named their children.

Couple of hours went by, they talked about everything and nothing, ate awful hospital food and just enjoyed each others company. Suddenly there was a knock on the door and they could see from the window, that the police had come to see Robert.

‘I guess it was just a matter of time, that they came here’ said Aaron standing up and looking agitated. He was so Dingle through and through, Robert couldn’t help smiling at him.

The police officers came in, these two neither of them recognized.

‘Robert Sugden?’ asked the older and bolder one.

‘Yes, how may I help you’

‘We’re here to talk to you about the night of 2nd of September 2017.

‘I was wondering why you haven’t been here earlier? Robert said with his most pleasant business voice. Aaron on the other hand was acting like a true Dingle, scowling at the coppers and looking guilty, even though he had no reason to be like that. Robert thought that maybe he just didn’t know any other way to act when around police officers.

‘We’ve been a bit busy at the house, doing crime scene investigation and since the only suspect confessed and got himself killed the case is almost as good as closed. We do need your statement and we need a new statement from one Aaron Dingle, is that you?’ the younger officer asked turning to Aaron.

‘Yeah, that’s me’

‘So, if I stay here with you Robert and officer Miller goes with Aaron to search a room where they can go through his previous statement’ the officer who spoke first said taking a tentative step towards Robert.

‘Ok. Roberts answered, starting to shuffle on the bed, only to wince from pain, remembering his leg gain. He saw Aaron’s concerned expression, tried to smile convincingly and said ‘Aaron, come back here when you two are finished’ with a look that was meant to be reassuring. Robert could only hope that Aaron wouldn’t bolt, he and police just didn’t mix, the distrust even more evident after his last sentence. With a mutual nod Aaron left with a police officer and Robert stayed with a police officer.

Aarons talk with the police officer was uneventful, he had nothing to add to his statement and the police officer gave nothing surprising out. Lachlan had confessed while keeping a knife on Eric’s throat, before armed police officer shot him down. Now, Aaron was rushing back to Robert, he knew that he was worried of what stupid things he would do around police. It kind of was habit of his, doing something stupid. Thankfully, Robert didn’t even know about the time when he cycled to a yard of police station and called them pigs, at the same time having pocket full of pill’s… So, Aaron was in a hurry to show Robert he had kept his cool.

Walking in Robert’s room, he found the said man looking amazed.

‘Robert, what’s wrong?!’

‘Um, nothing, it’s just… They told me that the bodies are being released next week and somehow, I’m the one who’s supposed to arrange their funeral!’

‘How is that even possible? Don’t they have any other family?’

‘I guess not, haven’t ever heard of anyone else than Donnie and his nowhere to be found. I guess I have to speak with my lawyer and Lawrence’s lawyer tomorrow’

‘It’s all sorted then, you won’t be bored tomorrow when you have all these lawyers to talk to.'

A beep came from Robert’s phone and as he glanced who had sent him a message, he sighed ‘Although I love my little sis and Diane, the madness is about to start. Vic sent me a message that they are in the car coming here, Doug had picked them up from the airport.’

‘And mum and Liv are coming back tomorrow, Paddy goes to get them. How are we ever going to learn to live with all of them back in the village?’

‘Maybe the hospital will be our safe-zone, where we’ll rest.’

‘Don’t think so, Vic will be glued to the baby, she’ll go mental’

‘We’ll it’s a good thing that the baby has visiting hours, Adam may keep her in line rest of the time’

‘Anyway, I’ll scram before they come here. I’ll go to see the baby and then head home and look through names for her. I’ll be back tomorrow.’ Aaron gave a peck to Roberts lips and left.

\--

Lying in his bed at night, Aaron was scrolling down his phone. First, he had been flicking through the Bible he bought after he left the hospital. He really wasn’t much of a reader and had read only four first pages, but an idea had started to grow and now he was doing his research. He liked what he found, he didn’t know should he make his suggestion to Robert by texting or face to face. While considering his choices, he got a message from Robert.

R: They finally left.

A: How were they?

R: Did you know Adam didn’t come back with them?

Aaron picked up the phone and rang to Robert ‘What do you mean, didn’t come back?’

‘Vic told that they had a huge fight over everything, in the car on their way to the airport and Adam stayed there, was going to go pick oranges or something as meaningful as that’

‘What the fuck is he playing at, what about the scrap yard?! And he hasn’t even called me, what the fuck is going on in that brain of his?!’

‘Nothing much as usual I would say’ muttered Robert and added ‘I know his like a brother to you’

‘I’m gonna kill him, when I get a hold of him. How were the others?’

‘Diane was her usual self, Vic was all over the place, in bits because of Adam but at the same time thrilled to be an auntie. To be honest, they both were all about the baby and their trip, they didn’t seem to notice that I was in a hospital bed after a mass murderer tried to kill me, so nothing new in there either.’

‘Robert I’m so sorry. Maybe you should talk with them about how you feel around them?’

‘Nah, I’ll be ok, I always am’ Robert answered sounding very unconvincing.

Aaron sighed; how would he say this without Robert kicking off ‘Robert, I’m really glad that you are willing to talk with me about your feelings. I’ve been a little worried about you after Lachlan, it seems that you’re not as ok that you would like me to think. So, I really think you should talk with the hospital’s trauma therapist.’

‘Naah, I’ll be alright, I’m alive aren’t I.’

‘Sometimes, it’s just not enough. I mean you don’t have to be fine because you are alive, you are allowed to be scared or angry or whatever you are feeling. And you are in the hospital for weeks, it’s not like you don’t have time to speak with them…’

‘OK fine, I’ll think about it.’

‘I think I have a name suggestion for you’

‘Oh yeah? What is it?’

‘I’m not gonna tell you, yet. First I wanna see that mini-Sugden and talk with her, see if she’ll like the idea.’

‘Oh, this is the way you’re going to play this, two against one! But I’ll wait, you know I’m good at that’

Aaron let out a content chuckle ‘Robert, you know.’

‘I know, good night Aaron’

\--

Next day Aaron went first to the baby, he had a long conversation with her (or as long as a conversation can be, when the other one doesn’t talk at all and the other one doesn’t really like talking). They came to an agreement about a name, cuddled and Aaron got to feed her through the tube. It was much easier today, maybe he will get the hang of this baby stuff after all. 

Aaron had a little conversation with Daniel, Daniel told that he would be leaving this ward and going to Robert’s ward next week. Aaron was seriously happy that Daniel was here to teach him all this baby stuff, it would have felt funny if the one who taught him would've been a complete stranger.

Aaron had taken a video of the baby girl, he was planning to make those every day for Robert. Robert was deep in thought when Aaron stepped to the room. After a kiss, he showd the video to Robert, it was much longer than the one yesterday and when Robert watched it Aaron started to talk. ‘So, she needs a name and I consulted our family’s book of names…’ ‘Aaron!’ Robert tried to comment, but Aaron cut him of ‘and I found something that fits, in my opinion. Also, I thought of the fact, that she has three parents: one dead and two live ones. So, I was thinking that she could have three names, all coming from her parents.’

‘Let me hear those then!’ Robert demanded pausing the video on Aaron’s phone. Aaron took a theatrical pause and said

‘Eva Rebecca Sugden’

‘O’ was only thing that came from Robert’s mouth at first. He looked stunned ‘Didn’t see that one coming, that’s for sure. Isn’t that a bit much though? Could you handle it?’

‘I think of it like, a mother is important to her daughter and since she’s dead, she will want to talk about her and I don’t have anything good to say about her. This way we could have Rebecca with her, but I wouldn’t have to see her or talk about her every day… But what do you think about Eva?’

‘It’s new, neither Rebecca or I had it in our lists. I have to get my head round it.’ Robert started tapping his phone furiously asking ‘what do we know about that name?’

‘Name Eva means life, living one or full of life. Considering the way she lost her mother’s side of her family and how teeny she was when she came to the world, I thought this really fits her. What do you think?’

‘I love it. And I love you’


	13. The Whites Legacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chas and Liv comes back. Aaron and Robert talk and fight about what the Whites dying mean for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kudos!
> 
> Writing this took ages because I had a writers block called sex scene in my brain. I had to write it out, so I could get this finished. Be warned: you won't get that scene on this chapter.
> 
> BTW The legal stuff probably isn't correct but it would go sort of like this in my country.
> 
> I could write all the scenes where people from the village come to the hospital but it would take ages and since this is a fic about them talking, I feel talking scenes are more important for this fic. And I really want to get this done by Christmas. 
> 
> At the moment I'm really pleased I chose to write this happy fic.

Suddenly there they were, like a whirlwind of movement, laughter and talk: Liv and Chas were back. Robert and Aaron sat in stunned silence and enjoyed the hugs Liv gave them both. Chas hugged only Aaron, gave Robert a death glare, so familiar to both of them and eventually decided to give him a friendly shove to his shoulder ‘I guess I can’t smack you back to last year, so this will have to do, she told him and turned back to Aaron, pinching his cheek ‘My baby boy, I’ve missed you so much’. Aaron grimaced and rolled his eyes, but all the same let her.

‘So, how’s the head’ Liv asked poking with her finger the shaved part of Robert’s head, where the stiches were.

‘It’s fine, but not being able to move is doing my head in, if I’m honest.’

‘How near deaths door were you?’ Liv asked fiddling with the flowers Diane had brought earlier, pretending to be interested in the morbid details of things, but anyone could see how worried she had been.

‘Maybe we’ll leave you two to it, and go and get some coffee for all of us?’ Aaron said to Robert and Liv and turned his head towards the door ‘Mum, let’s go’.

Chas was all over Aaron’s case when they got to the vending machine. ‘Shouldn't you break up with Robert? Are you with him because he is in a hospital bed, you did it once  
earlier? You should stay clear of the baby, I don’t want you to carry more than you can!’ The questions went on without Aaron even having to answer any. Aaron took his time listening, but eventually he had enough ‘Mum, stop! You really need to stop and lis-ten to me. It’s my life you’re talking about. Things were bad when you left and they got much worse after that, but we had an amazing summer. We were so happy before the baby came, it gave us strength. We are willing to work through this together and we are as happy as we can be under these circumstances. I'm in a good place now. I’ve grown to love that baby and you just have to accept that. You need to understand that your baby has grown up and he has his own baby and a family. I will need help in the future too, but you need to stop smothering me.’

Chas stood there, unshed tears in her eyes longer than Aaron felt comfortable with. Aaron shifted from foot to foot wondering what she will do next, when she lifted her arm and fondled his cheek with her palm, same way she did when he was a kid and said ‘You really have grown up, my boy has become a man. I guess Sugden is staying then. I try to live with that.’

Getting back they saw Liv in Robert’s bed, she’s so tiny that she fitted in the crook of Robert’s arm perfectly. ‘I guess she’s also a goner for that smarmy man’ Chas said under his breath before stepping into the room. Liv bounced off the bed immediately, trying to look nonchalant. Aaron went straight to her, took her to a bearhug and whispered to her ear ‘I love him too you know’

Chas started interrogating Robert over what happened at the Home Farm, police interrogation was probably a lot more easier than Chas’ and eventually Aaron decided Robert had suffered enough and asked ‘Do you want to see the baby?’ Both woman looked a little apprehensive ‘Is that allowed?' Liv asked. Both men started to answer, Robert was just faster ‘Of course, go to Eva’s ward and Aaron will introduce you.’

Aarons brow jumped up to his hairline ‘I guess that’s out then’ he muttered, but no one heard it under Chas' shriek ‘Eva, that’s a Dingle name’ clapping her hands together. 

‘Yeah, Aaron picked it up’ Robert said with the broadest smile on his face.

‘Let’s go then’ Aaron said shrugging his shoulders, also trying to look nonchalant just like his sister an hour earlier.

‘Aaron, you are coming back after these two leave, aren’t you’ Robert asked with the kind of urgency in his voice, that Aaron had to turn back just to reassure Robert. 

‘Yeah, yeah’

‘Good, I need to tell you about my day.’

Puzzled, but not willing to show it to Chas and Liv, Aaron left the room.

\---

45 minutes later Aaron was back in Robert’s room. Robert had fallen asleep, mouth slightly open and book in his hands almost falling to the bed. Aaron took his time to appreciate his husband, wondering when will he get tired of him, he really didn’t see that happening anytime soon.

Trying to move quietly he went to Roberts side and tried to remove the book from his hand, without waking him up. He almost succeeded, but ended up pushing Robert’s coffee mug of the table and dropping the book whilst trying to catch that mug. It would have been a miracle if Robert wouldn’t have woken up to that. 

Robert woke up to the sight of Aaron kneeling on the floor trying to clean up the mess.

‘There’s a sight I could wake up to every day’ Robert grinned taking his time to save the image of Aarons arse in those jeans for later use.

‘Have you had your eye candy already, can I come up?’

‘What, there’s nothing wrong with man having eyes only for his husband. Take your time, no need to hurry’ Robert answered relaxing back to his pillows looking like the Cheshire cat.

Aaron huffed and got back up ‘You’re clearly better, how come you dozed off like that?’

‘I had a headache and there has been people in and out all day’

‘Have you told your nurses about the headache? Are you sure it isn’t anything serious?’ Aaron had turned into the worried mode immediately. Robert never thought he would see this side of Chas in Aaron, but there it was, the resemblance evident.

‘Calm down, your sounding more and more like Chas these day’

Aaron didn’t even bat an eye to Robert’s observation ‘Husbands are allowed to worry!’

‘How did it go with Eva, your mum and Liv?

‘Since Eva was sleeping, they didn’t see much more than the machines, but she had same effect to both of them that babies usually have on women. Even Liv was putty in her hands. ‘Although…’ Aaron started pulling his sleeves around his fists and glanced around the room ‘they didn’t touch her’.

‘Why not, is she too small, was it too scary for them?’ Robert frowned

‘No, nothing like that. I just didn’t tell them they can touch her.’ Looking frustrated at himself he continued ‘I didn’t want them to touch her when you can’t hold her and everything is still so new to me, I guess I was jealous’.

‘Aaron!’ Robert called out and if Aaron would’ve lifted his eyes from his hands he would’ve seen amused glint in there ‘You’re nesting!’

‘What do you mean, no, no I’m not!’ embarrassed Aaron tried to deny.

‘Oh, yes you are!’ Robert tried to poke Aarons side, but it meant that he tried to move his hip and winced immediately from the pain.

‘Are you OK, do you need something?’

‘No, sometimes I just forget why I’m here, come here’ Robert pleaded and Aaron shuffled himself to the verge of his bed. 

‘Robert, how are you coping with all of this?’

‘It eats me inside not being able to touch you and to hold her, but it is what it is, what can I do?’

‘I googled a little and was thinking that I’ve been taking those vids for you, maybe I could make one for her too. If you would like to read a nursery rhyme or summat for her and I would show it to her, that way she would remember your voice.’

‘Aaron, you’re so nesting!’

‘Forget it then’ Aaron said getting up from the bed frustrated

‘Aaron, don’t be like that! That’s a really good and considerate thought. I will do that and you know, I love you when you’re like this.’

‘Like what?’’

‘Caring about me, I’m not overly used to it.’ There it was again, the vulnerable soft side of that cocky man Aaron loved so much, it made Aarons heart flutter and he had to clear his throat, so that his voice wouldn’t crack. 

‘What did you have to talk about?’

‘I talked with my and Lawrence’s lawyers this morning, witch one’s do you want to hear first?’

‘Yours I guess’ Aaron answered shrugging his shoulders.

‘It’s a good thing that Rebecca had marked me as the father to the birth certificate, even though we didn’t have a name for her then. Eva is legally mine. We can start the adoption process by notifying social workers about our situation and you can be added as the other parent legally after we have lived as a family for six months. I asked them to fill the papers for the social workers. Is that OK with you?’

‘OK’ Aaron said shrugging ‘So, what did Lawrence’s lawyers say?’

‘Just OK, you don’t have anything else to say?'

‘I said it all yesterday, I’m in’ They have talked so much during these last months, Robert had almost forgotten that Aaron doesn’t do talking, at least not when everything is clear in his mind. Robert decided to take this untalkative answer as a good sing.

‘Yeah, Lawrence. He didn’t have other alive relatives than Rebecca and Chrissie. Lachlan died after them, so he would have inherited Chrissie's assets and Chrissie's inheritance from Lawrence, but because he is the reason why they are dead, he doesn’t inherit anything from Chrissie. Donnie will inherit Lachlan’s things, but nothing else. No one knows where he is, the police haven’t been able to reach him. All this means: Eva is the soul heiress for all of them, and because I’m her guardian it’s my job to arrange a funeral for them. The lawyers can organize everything, but I think I should do it.’

‘Do you really want to do that? Isn’t it a bit much? Organizing a funeral for your ex-wife, lover and their father, it sounds a bit like a soap opera to me.’

‘What do you know about soaps, Aaron?' Robert asked wiggling his eyebrows.

‘Chas watches them, so I’ve been around them enough to know. So you want to do this, aye?'

‘Maybe I don’t want to, but I have to, what would we say to Eva if I wouldn’t do that?’

‘At least you have all the time in the world to arrange those, lying in here all day’ Aaron tried to make light to the topic. Looking at Robert, Aaron immediately saw that something else was up, he was hiding something. ‘What now, what are you not telling me?’

‘Aaron, she gets everything, really everything: the business’, house, everything.’

‘That can’t be good for a little girl! Can’t you just not take it?’ Aaron asked shaking his head, anyone could see he really didn’t like the thought of the Whites money.

‘That’s not an option. I’m her guardian and my job is to look after her best interest and that wouldn't be her best interest. There will also be guardian of interest who will determine yearly have I done everything OK.’ Robert paused for a while ‘And er… …if we have to take care of her assets I guess we have to move to the big house.’ Robert almost didn’t dare to look at Aaron at that point, but when he did, he saw everything he expected to see. Aaron fidgeting with his fingers, looking like his head could explode.

‘No, no way, absolutely not, never in my life!’

‘Aaron, you know its everything I ever wanted!’

‘All your Christmases came as one then. Why didn’t you get rid of your baby’s mother before!’

‘You know I didn’t mean it like that!’

‘My last word is no. Not now, not ever!’ Aaron stormed out of the room. Robert swept everything from his tiny table to the floor and snarled out of pure frustration, god that man could be irritating when he wanted to be!

It took a while for the annoyed hospital personnel to get Robert’s room cleaned up and the longer it took the more Robert felt like a drama queen. He just couldn’t let the staff know he was feeling a bit guilty about the mess and focused on looking indifferent. Eventually his phone drifter back to him. He was still furious at Aaron and he decided to send him a text

R: Don’t you ever run away from me, you know I can’t follow you!

No answer.

Robert had lost hope of hearing from Aaron that night, but when he heard hesitant steps from the door, he knew it was Aaron, he felt it. ‘About time to come back!’ he said without looking at him.

‘Yeah, well, I had to calm down. Jackson used to get pissed at me about bolting too, so it’s a good thing that you aren’t in that bed permanently, since it seems I’m not changing my ways.’ 

‘I may have to apologize from the staff, I was so frustrated that I smashed the place up…’

‘Are we both calmed down now?’ Robert nodded slightly. ‘Good, I’ll tell you this once and you need to accept that: I will never move to Home Farm. I’ll put my foot down on this. You figure out how you’re making that house profitable, but we’re not living there. You have the brains and business skills, not to mention time, being stuck here in the hospital. Your brain needs some exercise, otherwise you will drive the nurses crazy and end up doing something very stupid left alone. You can do this, you figure it out.’

\--

At night getting ready to bed, Aaron got a message from Robert. 

R: Thought about your idea about reading a rhyme to Eva, so here it is. Hope you enjoy.

Before Aaron pushed play, he dug under the duvet, placed his head to Roberts pillow and shivered, the bed was cold without Robert in it. The picture swayed for a while before focusing on Robert. That selfconscious man had clearly done something to his hair. How did he manage that? Knowing him, he probably had pursued the hospital barber to do his hair. And yes, he looked good. Wearing that Eva-hoodie Aaron wore with Eva, Robert had it the rest of the time on him. Focusing to screen Roberts eyes were as green as they could get and just then the deep silky voice started rolling

Twinkle, twinkle, little star  
How I wonder what you are!  
Up above the world so high  
Like a diamond in the sky  
Twinkle, twinkle, little star  
How I wonder what you are

 

Falling asleep that night Aaron had only one thing in his mind, life could be pretty good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to find a british rhyme for this, but ended up with an american rhyme. You guys have some seriously disturbed rhymes there in Britain! These almost got chosen, because of Robron history:
> 
> Eeper Weeper
> 
> Peter, my neeper,  
> Had a wife,  
> And he couidna' keep her,  
> He pat her i' the wa',  
> And lat a' the mice eat her.
> 
> Other version
> 
> Eeper Weeper, chimney sweeper,  
> Had a wife but couldn't keep her.  
> Had another, didn't love her,  
> Up the chimney he did shove her
> 
> Little Pol Parrot
> 
> Little Poll Parrot  
> Sat in his garret  
> Eating toast and tea;  
> A little brown mouse  
> Jumped into the house,  
> And stole it all away.
> 
> All comments are welcome. I'm not on Tublr, I sort of really don't like how the app works, so if you have something to say, this is the only way to do it.


	14. Loving him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sex.
> 
> Making love.
> 
> An ode to loving Aaron.

Aaron sat on to Robert’s bed ‘Daniel told me that you’re being a pain in the arse. I shouldn’t be surprised, you are probably the worst patient ever, even worse than Nicola.’

‘I can’t help it when everyone in here are stupid cows, it’s like trying to live in a fishbowl!’

‘So… Aaron cleared his throat, but still his voice sounded a bit raspier than normal ...your behavior is why we agreed with Daniel that he’ll make sure that no one comes to this room in an hour and I’ll make sure that you are a better patient after that hour’ while speaking Aaron got up and closed the blinds. 

Robert asked ‘How are you going to manage that then?’ with a smirk and a hungry look in his eyes, these days that look was reserved for Aaron only. 

Aaron took his time approaching the bed again, feeling Robert’s eyes burning all over his body. ‘I guess I’ll have to give you the orgasm of your life’ he said shrugging his shoulders.

‘I’d be up for that’ Robert answered eagerly, like a teenage boy in heat.

‘But you can’t move an inch because of your leg and hip. Can you restrain your hips, keep them still for me?

‘Don’t think that I can. Maybe you should tie me up then?’

‘Oh, I could do it, but I won’t.' Aaron answered, clearly enjoying not giving Robert the first thing he had suggested. ‘To think of anything like that, first you have to deal with your trauma from the attack and since you can’t move, even if you wanted to, bondage isn’t the thing you need now. You’ll have to wait for home to get that.' 

Looking not too disappointed Robert listened what Aaron had in mind and Aaron continued ‘In fact, I was thinking of a quick blow job, but now I changed my mind.’

‘Aaron I love it when you take me to your mouth, how your hot breath envelopes me whole and your tongue licks my…’ Robert was just getting started, when Aaron cut him off and told him ‘I’m thinking you need to feel you have some control of your life: so, you call the shots now, you decide what we do.’

Robert was again in awe with this man. How has his grumpy little grease monkey grown into this beautiful, considerate, grown man. His man. He wanted nothing more than to care for Aaron, to give the world to him. 

Without saying a word, he lifted his hand to the base of Aaron's neck, to the place where his beard turned to hair. He moved his index finger in search for Aaron’s favorite spot. It had been so long that it took him some time to find the exactly right spot, but he knew he had found it when Aaron's eyes fluttered shut and he groaned long and sensual when Robert hit the spot. If someone would ask, Robert could never describe what that sound did to him. Robert loved hearing the affect he had on his husband, he could feel his own dick stirring under the duvet just from the sound of his husband.

He let his fingers wander, noticed how Aaron was back to gelling his hair, Robert kind of liked it, it meant that Robert would be the only one to see Aaron's curls. He knew he was a bit possessive over Aaron, but who could blame him?

He moved his thumb across Aaron's chin, the beard tickling it with rough hair. Found the corner of Aaron's mouth, caressed his lower lip with it in slow motion. Aaron caught his thumb with his teeth, followed by a deep look into Robert’s eyes. He started to lick the thumb gently all the way from the base to the tip. Gaze locked, with one swift move he sucked the whole finger to his mouth making Robert to remember all those times he had done that same thing to his cock. Thinking of the cock, it clearly remembered how good Aaron made it feel, now it was leaking precum at the same pace his mouth watered with lust. It was a good thing that wearing any kind of boxers or jogging bottoms was impossible with his leg, so his dick had all the room in the world to move. How could he still, after all these years, feel like this, only by watching him?

With reluctance, Robert moved his thumb out of Aaron's mouth and started moving it back to his neck. Aaron turned his head and kissed his palm, Robert had to close his eyes, otherwise he would be lost. His hand moved on passing Aaron's favorite spot, making Aaron shiver. 

Going down he got hold of Aaron's hoodies zip and started unzipping as slow as he could, notch by notch, exposing Aaron’s skin bit by bit. It seemed that he hadn’t seen Aaron’s body like this in years, although it had only been weeks. When the whole zip was open, he slid his hand to his biggest scar, he fondled it with time, making goose pumps to appear on his lover’s skin.

He couldn’t stand not tasting Aaron and pulled him closer trying to lick his nipple, but the position was just impossible and with a frustrated groan he gave up even trying and went back to using his left hand, only one he could reach the other man with. With his right hand he grabbed his own dick, it was also getting a bit frustrated.

All this time Aaron stood still, waiting for instructions from Robert and when there weren’t any, he continued standing. Robert's attention was back on Aaron's body and he took his nipple in between his hand, with soft roll he made it hard and then the hand continued it’s journey on Aaron’s body. 

Next his hand landed on the small of Aaron's back, the place where Aaron was ticklish if you touched it wrong. If you touched it right, you almost certainly got a whimper out of him. Robert concentrated hard and there it was, the whimper. His dick had clearly waited for the whimper as it jolted as soon as the sound reached his ears. Robert absently moved his right hand few times over it, to take the edge off. His attention was full on Aaron, gorgeous Aaron, who hopefully was enjoying himself. He had started to sweat a little, skin on his back feeling a bit moist. If only he could get that salty taste from Aaron's body to his mouth.

Robert returned to the front side of Aaron, opening his jeans, slow, button by button. He saw that Aaron had black lowcut boxer briefs on, revealing a thin line of hair travelling under the waistband of the boxers. Again, it looked so delicious, what would he give to lick down that line, but no, now he had to settle for his left hand. He used his long fingers to reach down under Aaron’s boxers.

Fingers in those boxers, he felt heat, heat Aaron’s trapped erection had created.

‘Rob, just take it…’ Aaron pleaded, voice hoarse.

And he did, he pulled down Aaron’s jeans and boxers and released that wonderful erection that was only meant for him. He heard Aaron's sigh of relief. He run his thumb from the base of the cock to the tip. The tip was already moist of his husbands precum. Robert circled his thumb in the liquid making Aaron tremble a little.

He fisted his hand around Aaron's cock, lifted his gaze to Aaron who was looking at him with such love in his eyes, that it almost overwhelmed him.

‘I can only use my left hand on you, so you have to do the work, otherwise we’re never going to get to the end’ Robert told him with an assertive smirk. Aaron moved, he moved his hand to Roberts shoulder, twisting his fingers around Robert’s shoulder and started rolling his hips. First on a slow pace, escalating with every thrust he made. Robert couldn’t move his gaze from Aaron’s face, from those fluttering eyelashes to that sensual mouth, lower lip in between his teeth trying to suppress his moans. He couldn’t muffle all of those and Robert reveled with every grunt from Aaron's throat. He was close, Robert felt it in his fist. He heard it from Aaron’s mouth and he saw it in Aaron’s face when he opened his eyes saying ‘Rob, I’m close, do you want me to come’.

‘Yeah, give it to me, now’

And Aaron came with hot burst of the white liquid all over Robert’s fist and bed. Robert hadn’t even noticed how close he was too, but when he smelled that familiar scent of his husband’s semen in otherwise sterile room, it pushed him right over the edge. He spilled himself right in to his bed sheets like a teenage boy.

Aaron was coming down on his orgasm, bend down to Robert, pressed their foreheads together and breathed with a laugh ‘Well, that was nothing like I had planned’.

‘It was good though, wasn’t it?’ Robert grinned licking the cum from his hand. ‘With the memory of this and the taste of you on my tongue, I’ll be a good patient for a while.’


	15. Moments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moments from their life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are getting to the end and surprise, surprise the boys will be as happy as they have been thus far. Emmerdale is heading to Robert's weeks of misery, so we need happiness, here you go! Last chapter got a bit heavy, so I split it in half, next should be up soonish.

Days and weeks passed by, nothing drastic happened, Eva grew bigger and stronger little by little and Robert was less in pain and he would start physio soon. After physio, he would be able to start moving around more. Aaron’s days were full with the scrapyard, Eva and Robert. He was always going somewhere and really waiting for the time they could all be home and just be. The aim was to get both of them home for Christmas. 

At the same time, when their life was hectic, dull and comfortingly same every day, Emmerdale was in turmoil. Aaron and Robert didn’t know all the details, but Finn had been killed by Emma, Emma had died, possibly murdered and Ross was arrested of her murder. Also Moira had had a baby boy. It all had happened within a day or two. After a while they found out that Cain was Moira’s baby’s father and they named him Isaac. Aaron had a new cousin and Adam had a brand-new brother. Although Aaron wasn’t sure did Adam even know he was a big brother again, he hadn’t been in contact with anyone in the village. From Instagram Aaron could see that he was alive and well, but otherwise their connection had been broken. Aaron was livid with him for leaving him and for leaving the scrapyard without a word. But the connection would mend, it always did.

When Chas came to the hospital, she used to tell all the gossip from the village. Quite surprisingly Chas was the one who was head over heels in love with the little girl and she was at the hospital almost daily. Well, maybe it wasn’t a surprise that she was there more often than Diane, Diane had more grandchildren than Chas and this was Chas' precious Aaron’s girl. It was surprising that Vic wasn’t a hands on auntie at all, they barely saw her while in the hospital. She helped them to shop for all the baby things they needed to get before Eva got to go home, but she didn't wan't to hold the baby. She had to deal with the fact that she wasn’t going to have babies with Adam, maybe it was easier for her to admire Eva from afar. Maybe she kept her distance in order to be able to think what she want’s from life, now that her marriage had failed. 

Robert kept himself busy, first he arranged the funeral: four coffins at the same time in that small church. There weren’t many mourners, few church goers, some business contacts and village gossips and Chas, she was there to take pictures, so they would have something to show for Eva, if she ever asked. Four headstones were brought to their graves, one said Loving father, two said Loving daughter, sister and mother and since you couldn’t write mass murdered on the stone, one simply said Lachlan White. Ronnie’s brother had taken care of his burial, they didn’t even know where he had taken him, maybe Lisa knew.

After he had arranged the funeral, Robert started to meet hospital’s trauma therapist couple of times in a week, maybe it helped, at least there where less tantrums after that.

Nicola helped by bringing him paperwork every week, Robert almost waited for her to come, that sharp tongue of hers was entertaining. Robert played with his laptop a lot, Aaron knew there was something brewing in that brilliant brain of his, but decided to wait, he would tell him when he was ready.

The doctors had told them that Eva could start practicing home life for an hour or two per day at some point and they decided that during her furlough from the ward Aaron wouldn’t go home with her, he would bring the baby to Robert. It wasn’t easy, Robert being bedbound and all, but it was worth it. When Aaron saw the smile Robert gave to Eva, it could have melted the sun and it did melt Aaron. Usually Aaron hovered around those two, ready to help if needed, but occasionally he had to pop out, to the loo or to get coffee or something. One time he left to fill the formula bottle with hot water and forgot the bottle, returned to get it and somehow managed to enter the room without either of them noticing. He heard Robert talking with his soft voice, the one which always got Aaron's attention, it was so rare to hear and the voice was so beautiful, Aaron just had to listen.

‘We’re the same you know. I lost my mum when I was a couple months old, like you. But I survived, so will you. Eventually I got a new mum, she was everything, I loved her so much and she loved me.’ Robert gave a kiss to Eva's forehead and continued ‘And you know what, you are luckier than me, you got Aaron right from the start. I cant think of a better daddy in a whole wide world. He has heart of gold and he will be in your corner till the end of days. You are one lucky girl.’ Aaron walked to him and placed his hand to Robert's hip, speechless.

\--

Eventually they all got home, just in time for Christmas. Robert’s Porsche was probably not the best choice for coming home but Aaron knew Robert had missed his car. Aaron had gone to all the baby shops in order to find a car seat that fitted Robert’s backseat. It took all day, but eventually he found one. 

Next day he drove to the hospital to collect his family. First Robert: he was allowed to walk, but he was still weak, so he was sitting in the wheel chair, car seat in his lap. Both men were nervous as hell. They were picking up their daughter, who was connected to all those machines for such a long time. They didn’t trust themselves to keep her alive outside the hospital.

Daniel saw both of their pale faces and assured that they will be fine, pointing out that people normally were home with their babies and they didn’t break them, he also gave them his phone number telling them they could call at any time. After that he firmly shooed them out, Aaron pushed Robert, Robert was holding Eva's seat and Eva was sleeping quietly in her seat, wrapped in warm clothes. 

While Aaron fastened the seat, Robert took his time to admire his car. He couldn’t resist touching its cool surface. When Aaron had Eva on her place, he came to help Robert up. He could do it himself, but this was first time outside the hospital and he wanted the reassurance he got from Aaron’s touch.

Eventually they were all inside the car, happy to be heading home together, perfect little family.

\--

15 minutes later 

Eva started crying, whole car was trembling from her screams. Both of the men tried to look confident in the others eyes, before they shared a look and both could see panic in the other ones eyes. 

Robert yelled ‘What do I do’ to Aaron and Aaron yelled back ‘How should I know’. Robert tried giving her the pacifier, it didn’t help at all, the screaming just got louder . ‘Pull over’ Robert ordered. When the car came to a halt Aaron darted up, spun around heedlessly couple of times, came back to the car, pushed his seat forward, squashed in and took Eva to his lap. Then her problem became apparent to all of those in the car. The smell was horrendous, she needed a diaper change. 

‘What are we going to do now?’ Aaron asked. 

‘How should I know?!’ Robert panicked back. 

Eva’s screaming had toned down, now she was just squirming, both men’s hart rate started to settle. Robert got his head round the problem quickest ‘Wait a minute, Vic brought us the bag with diapers and everything. Maybe there’s everything in there. Vic usually knows what she’s doing.’ 

Aaron found the bag, diapers and wipes, he started to undress the little stinky girl, when terrified Robert asked ‘Can’t you do it outside, this is my Porsche you know!’ 

‘It’s freezing, no way I’m taking her clothes of there. Tough, she’s here, might as well surrender everything you ever cared about to her. Take it like a man!’ Aaron grinned cheekily.

‘Fine, whatever’ 

With that, Aaron started his work, Robert sat on the front seat and felt useless. Right until Aaron handed the used diaper to him. ‘You deal with that.’ 

Robert took his time trying to find a plastic bag for the diaper, but only thing he could find was the paper bag where his pills were, he turned the whole bag over to his lap and filled it with the diaper. Squeezed the bag as tight as he could and shoved it to his feet 

At the same time Aaron was ready and handed Eva to him, Eva looked at Robert with open eyes of a baby and wrapped her hand around his finger and Robert couldn’t tear his eyes away from her, mind blank he just stared at that little miracle. Aaron got up with the bag, tossed it to the trunk and started walking to Robert shaking his head ‘How are we ever going to survive…’ he asked but he never got to finish the sentence when he saw Eva in Robert’s arms. ‘I guess we are going to survive, we have no other choice. Look at her! How can she first make us panic like that and the next melt our hearts?’ 

‘I see her’ Robert said fondly, Eva in one hand and the other reached to Aaron’s. ‘We’ll do it together, yeah.’

\--

Rest of the drive home was uneventful. Driving in a sunny but cold weather kept their spirits up. Pulling up to the house they saw Liv and Chas welcoming them home. Imme-diatelly Chas took Eva and Liv helped Robert to walk in. Emotions got the better of him when he stepped inside the house, he saw it for first time in months. Last time he left he wouldn’t ever have thought how long it would take for him to see it again. And now taking a better look, he saw that it wasn’t the same it used to be. 

 

In a word, it was a mess: There was stuff everywhere around the downstairs, Vic had been in to make sure all the baby stuff was on their place and that Robert had a bed he could sleep in and Aaron had made sure the bed was big enough for the both of them. Now that Robert was home, he wasn’t going to sleep another night alone. All this stuff cramped downstairs made Robert huff dramatically and he slumped down to the nearest seat. 

\--

They settled in during the evening. Robert dozed off well before Eva. Aaron tried to keep downstairs as silent as he could and prepared a bath for Eva upstairs. Eva was rest-ing her cheek against Aaron shoulder when he knocked Liv’s door. ‘Hey, wanna come and give her a bath with me?’ Like many times before, Liv tried to tone it down, but looked like a little girl grinning to the suggestion. Aaron was silently smiling at the thought how Liv would react if she'd known how transparent she was.

While Eva was in the baby tub, Liv was hesitant to take Eva to her hands, but Aaron reminded her how they had done this in the hospital loads of times and it was no different here. Eventually Liv relaxed and the girls had fun: Eva seemed to enjoy the water immensely and Liv was very good with her. Funny how Aaron hadn’t seen her or himself for that matter, as a family- or baby person but there they were with 7,7 lb of pure love on their hands. ‘Liv, are you OK, with Robert and Eva being here?’ 

Liv continued to run water from her hands to Eva’s belly and said ‘I guess I have to tolerate that twat downstairs if I want her here at ours.’ 

‘So, you are OK with Eva?’

‘Yeah, she feels like a little sister to me more than anything. You’re my brother, Robert is my brother and anyway I’m a bit young to be an auntie’

‘At your age my mum already had me! But don’t get any ideas about that, you’re going places!’

‘Don’t worry, not going to do anything daft with anyone…’ she trailed of.

‘Good. So, sister rather than auntie then?’ Aaron said wrapping Eva with confident hands to a pink fluffy towel. ‘I guess your sister needs her nighties and a bottle, then she’s ready for bed.’


	16. The Festive Season

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Year comes to an end, we'll get to see their Christmas and New Year. Extra happines!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of this fic. 
> 
> Thank you for everyone who has read it, commented it or left kudos, I'm happy if someone has enjoyed this. After this I will re-read and edit this whole thing. I haven't been able to read any of this after I posted it, so it's about time, I can only imagine how bad the first chapters are. At least I hope the writing has gotten better from chapter to chapter.

Christmas Day

Christmas day came, they had a lazy morning with lingering touches whenever Eva allowed it. They were learning again how to live home and not in a hospital where anyone could barge in, but also in hospital you could ask help from everyone. Liv played with Eva on the floor, Aaron was in charge of making the bottles and changing the diapers and Robert fed her. Robert also did his physio and started moving around. Other half of his body was weaker than the other and after a while of moving, his better side was aching, having done most of the work. 

When early evening came, Liv got a bit snappy and Robert was quick to follow. Aaron sensed disaster coming in the form of a hungry teenager and a hungry husband. When he started thinking of food, he searched the fridge and had to admit that it really was empty and the Woolie and David’s were closed. 

‘We could always go to the Dingle Christmas, there’s always plenty of food there? Robert suggested 

‘She’s way too young for a Dingle do and she needs to be introduced to people slowly, so she won’t catch anything’ said Aaron forcefully. Aaron was turning into a masculine version of Mother Hen and Robert would have teased Aaron about that if the doorbell hadn’t interrupted him.

Robert stayed in bed feeding Eva when Liv rushed to the door, Aaron right beside her. They found Lisa, Belle and Zach standing there, plates full of sliced turkey in their hands. Lisa told ‘Don’t worry love we’re just passing by, Chas already told us that Eva can’t meet us all at once, but we know what’s it like with a little baby, so we thought to bring you some food. Hope Robert is better?’

‘Yeah, getting there, still not in shape to run to the door, but getting there’ Robert called out from the bed where he was lying with Eva.

Aaron and Liv hugged Lisa and Belle, awkwardly shook hands with Zak and after wishing Merry Christmas the Dingles left. Aaron carried the plate they got to the table and was just coming to sit on the bed with Robert when the doorbell rang again, this time it was Paddy and Leo. They were on same business as the Dingles were and as soon as Aaron got the door closed, there was the next visitor coming. Soon their table was bending under every Christmas food you could think of. 

If Chas and Charity would’ve had a look through their window on their way back to The Woolpack they would’ve seen a little family gathered around a Christmas table, smiling, talking, eating, little baby going from lap to lap. The four of them together, their bellies full. 

All was well in the Sugden-Dingle household.

\--

Days went by, Robert started to move more. He would probably have a limp for the rest of his life and he had to use a cane, but he was starting to feel more like himself. They moved back to upstairs as soon as possible and downstairs started to look normal again.

Eva had a routine from the hospital and she was awake at the crack of dawn. Robert woke up with her and Aaron had the night feeding shift. At their spare time Robert was always on his laptop typing fiercely, same way he had worked with it at the hospital. At the boxing week Aaron saw Robert grinning that smug smile of his, the one Aaron loved and hated, didn’t really know would he like to punch or kiss it away. With that smile Aaron finally had had enough and he asked what Robert had been doing all this time.

‘You told me to figure out how to keep Eva’s inheritance safe as well as Home Farm in shape, so, I have. Our life will be in here in this house, but the big house must be used otherwise it will go to the dogs. Eva’s trustee just gave the all clear about my plan, so I guess now it’s the time to tell you what I’ve been planning.’

Robert took an underlining pause and then said ‘It’s going to be a hotel, a five-star hotel, just like Bardon Park, the one where I took you when Chrissie and Katie interrupted us. Now you’re never going to be kicked out from that kind of hotel again.’

Aaron sat down. ‘Have you schemed anything to make it happen?

‘No’

‘Have you threatened anyone?’

‘No’

‘Have you climbed any trees because of this’

‘No’

‘Have you kidnapped anyone?’

‘No’

‘Has anyone died because of this?

‘No’

‘And it keeps your scheming mind busy?’

‘Very much so’

‘I guess I’m fine with it then’ Aaron said shrugging with that upside-down smile of his. He didn’t care, as long as he could live in the Mill, it was all the same to him where Robert worked at ‘When are you going to start really working with it?’

‘Pretty soon, now that the trustee has okayed it. You and me just have to figure out, how we are going to take care of Eva during the days.’

‘We’ll figure out something, I’m just happy I don’t have to move into that house!’ Aaron said pecking a kiss to Robert’s lips. Robert deepened the kiss and pulled Aaron to his lap. Hands started wandering and heat started to rise… until Liv came back banging the door and waking Eva. ‘If this is how our lives are going to be from now on, I don’t know what I’ll do…’ Aaron sighed shaking his head frustrated‘ …I really need to get laid Robert!’

‘And we are going to get back to the saddle, trust me’

\--

New Years Eve

‘So, we’re really going to do this now?’

‘Too late to back down now… 

...that’ll be Harriet’ Robert said when the doorbell rang.

Robert walked down the stairs with his cane looking incredibly good, Aaron couldn’t tear his eyes off of him. It was getting increasingly hard to keep his hands of him. It was New Year’s Eve now and they still hadn’t had sex, Aaron had started to feel it, bad. He was going to explode soon, if he wouldn’t get some alone time with Rob.

Aaron shook his head and shrugged his shoulders ordering himself to focus, it was his daughters christening, for goods sake. Adjusting himself in his suit trousers, he walked down the stairs to meet the vicar.

They had been able to exchange few words with Harriet, when people started coming in. They shouldn’t have a big party near a prematurely born baby, but they just had to solemnize their little girl and the new year. Robert had pushed for it, Aaron would’ve been OK with just sitting at home just the three of them for the whole evening. Anyone with even a little sniffle weren’t allowed to come, it meant Moira, Cain and Isaac, Marlon, April and Leo and Doug weren’t there. All the other important people were: Liv, of course Chas, Paddy, Vic, Diane, Lisa, Belle and Zach, even Daniel and Annabelle came.

Aaron wasn’t religious, neither was Robert. But Robert liked posh things and a christening was just Robert kind of posh, so Aaron went along with that. Vic and Belle were godmothers, but Robert couldn’t let go of the baby, so Eva was in his arm during the ceremony. Aaron was right beside them, he was so nervous that he really didn’t hear anything Harriet said. He saw Eva in her dad’s arms looking peaceful and happy, Robert looking proud, he was glowing in the attention. He saw his family and friends looking pleased for them. His hands were shaking and it felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest. Suddenly he realized that everyone was looking at him. Robert nudged his sleeve to get his attention. 

‘Aaron, Harriet said you have something to say.’

‘Yeah, hmm’ he turned around to calm himself and then turned back to Robert and cleared his throat. ‘Yes, Robert. I asked Harriet to marry us. Robert, will you marry me tonight, here in our house?’

Stunned Robert, cleared his throat, nodded a little and swallowed, adam’s apple bobbing and voice filled with certainty answered ‘Yes, yes I will’. The room was filled with Vic’s squeal, Diane’s clapping and sighs from all.

Harriet started to speak: ‘Having witnessed Eva’s christening, we all know they are a family in their hearts already and now we are here to witness this family to become a family in the eyes of God and in the eyes of law. This wedding, although a surprise, is legally binding. Aaron has made sure of that during last week.’ 

Robert stood there mouth hanging open and wondering, how Aaron had pulled this off, without Robert even once suspecting anything. ‘Aaron wants to say his own vows. Aaron it’s your turn. Eva was sound asleep in Robert’s arms when Aaron took a ring from Liv and took Robert’s hand to his own, he started talking.

‘I’ve put a lot of thought in to these vows and I do think that I’m speaking for the both of us, feel free to jump in if you disagree: Robert, we have been here before. Two broken souls tried to form a complete marriage, promising to be better. Over this almost a year I’ve realized that we can’t come to a marriage trying to be better for the other. We should enter a marriage because we love each other and are willing to love each other, even though the other half of the marriage isn’t flawless. 

From the first time we touched, our bodies have graved for each other. I needed you and you tried to fight against the need you also felt, then you accepted needing me and I fought it. Last time, after a long road, we finally we’re in a same place at the same time, we still needed each other and wanted to be together. Deep down I still fought it, I wasn’t ready to accept every part of you, I wanted you to be better and you tried the best you could, but you know what? No-one can change for someone else, if people change it’s because they want to change. I’ve accepted you now: You’re a viper tongued, smug and so irritating man, my man…’ “Yeah, well, you’re a moody grease monkey, my grease mon-key” Robert called out with a loving smile on his lips. ‘I always will be surprised in what kind of scheme you have gotten us in, but Robert, I love you just the way you are and I choose you, there isn’t anyone I would rather have a family with. You are the one for me, I promise to love you and our child to the end of my days. I will take you Robert Jacob Sugden as my lawfully wedded husband’.

Robert had to wipe his eyes, few tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. He shifted Eva to his right hand and Aaron took the left one to his own, gliding the ring in his hand to Robert’s ring finger, just above his first ring. Robert couldn’t resist and he pulled Aaron to him, placing a kiss to his lips. During the embrace Aaron took the baby from Robert’s hands, smoothly like holding a baby was all he had ever done. Harriet asked Robert ‘This is a bit short notice, but do you want to say something?’

‘Well I’m a bit speechless, Aaron is the only one who makes that happen.' 

'All I want to say to you Aaron, is that I choose you. I always choose you. With you I’m happiest I’ve ever been and when you’re happy it’s easier to be a good man, isn’t it? I love you Aaron. I take you Aaron Dingle as my lawfully wedded husband.’ After a tiny pause he added ‘Liv, is there a ring for him too?’

Liv handed his ring over and Robert glided the ring to Aaron’s finger. Both of them turned to Harriet who pronounced them husband and husband and said ‘You did it already, but now is the time for a kiss. And they kissed like the world was ending, even though their journey had just started. Eva got a bit uncomfortable between them and started squirming, so they handed her to her Nana Chas and continued, just feeling their love. It was so intimate that the guests decided to leave them for a while and scattered around the house.

Rest of the party went as well as their first wedding, everyone was feeling the love. Only thing missing was the dark undertone which was present in their last wedding. Eva was all smiles in the middle of the attention, until she dozed off and was taken to her crib. 

Party went on and Aaron ushered everyone to the patio when suddenly the sky was lighted with all these magnificent fireworks. Of course, the noise woke Eva up and Aaron detached himself from Robert’s arms and went to get her. In Aaron’s lap she immediately relaxed and Aaron walked with her back to his place in Robert’s arms.

\--

They were knackered. After Eva woke up to the fireworks, she was the center of attention for the rest of the night. Nana Chas paraded her around the house, Eva looking content in her Nana’s arm’s. It was quite surprising that Chas was the one of them all, who got baby crazy. It was a good thing that babies needed cuddles, hugs and kisses, she was there for all of those, dirty nappies she left for the dads. Maybe Chas was compensating all the times she wasn’t there for Aaron. Aaron didn't care, while Chas focused on Eva, Aaron was free of her smothering and he was loving the attention Eva got from her. Watching them, Aaron noticed how much Chas and Eva even looked alike with their brown hair and brown eyes. Robert and Aaron had to hope that Eva wouldn’t get her Nana’s explosive temper, it was enough that Aaron had it, although the little girl had already showed signs that she wouldn’t play the second or third fiddle amongst the Dingles.

Being the center of attention had made Eva fuzzy and hours after last guests had left she was still up, nothing seemed to be working. They ended up watching late night re-runs of Top Gear. Robert sitting on the couch in his suit trousers, without a shirt, trying to soothe her with skin to skin contact. Eva was nuzzling his hand while watching supercars and Aaron was clearing the table in his suit vest and listening what they were talking about in the tv. They hadn’t had many moments like this in the last months, domestic moments, they both would’ve enjoyed, if they wouldn’t have been so tired.

At 2 am Eva finally fell asleep and they tried to get upstairs as quiet as they could, Robert went to put Eva to her bed and Aaron threw himself to bed in all his clothes. All he managed to do was turn to his side before falling asleep.

Moments later he felt Robert’s breath just under his ear ‘You know, you look hot as fuck in that suit’

‘Oh, I do? What are you going to do about it?’ mumbled Aaron half asleep.

‘I’m going to take those clothes of you one by one and I’m going to make love to you till the sun rises.’ Robert breathed in his ear while pressing lingering kisses to his jawline.

Suddenly completely awake Aaron cleared his throat, letting out an involuntary groan when Robert found his favorite spot with his tongue. Aaron melted under Robert. During the night he revelled in the feeling of Rob pressed against his sweaty back, the weight he hadn’t felt for so long. Fingers, legs, bodies entangled. This is the life he wanted and the only place in the world he wanted to be, ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with this the boys move on from Emmerdale to their own spin-off at the hotel!
> 
> I hope you noticed the hints I wrote in this chapter. Please comment if you did!
> 
> Comment added 10th January 2018: Did no-one see the hints or was it too obvious? Eva isn't Robert's, she is Ross'.

**Author's Note:**

> I have never written anything and my first language isn't english. I just had this image of what could happen to Robron this year and since from the spoilers it doesn't seam that it is going the way I imagined it to go, I had to write it open. Please tell me if this is just complete bullshit and I will just keep this in my head or give the ideas to someone more skilled in this area of writing. Please also tell me if the wording or prepositions etc. are wrong.


End file.
